The Second War Begins
by OhISee
Summary: PostOOTP My version of Harry's sixth year, chapters 1 through 25 written before HBP. Story is now, of course, Alternate Universe. Many more chapters to come! Please leave reviews ... I love them SO much!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Rainy days at Privet Drive

The rain drummed noisily on the houses along Privet Drive. Rivers sprang to life along the curbs down the street, washing their way to the sewers. The thick, dark clouds hung low and heavy, releasing a seemingly endless deluge to the ground below. The carefully tended lawns of Privet Drive drank deeply, becoming rich and thick – a stark contrast to the brown, crackly grass of last year's drought. The street was quiet, as the inhabitants of Privet Drive sought refuge within their homes.

At Number Four Privet Drive, a fifteen-year-old boy lay flat on his back in his upstairs bedroom staring at the ceiling. Harry Potter had returned to Privet Drive less than a week ago from Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Summer holidays had just begun, and the dark, dreary weather seemed to reflect his mood. He already missed school – quite unusual for a teenage boy. At least at school, Harry could spend time with his friends to help keep his mind from the dark thoughts that haunted him. All that Harry had at Privet Drive was the constant string of threats and insults thrown at him by his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley.

Harry had come to live with the Dursleys when he was one year old. His parents were murdered by the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort. Harry had miraculously survived Voldemort's attempt to kill him, with nothing but a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead, making Harry famous among the wizarding world. Harry knew none of this until his eleventh birthday, when Hagrid (the gamekeeper and future professor at Hogwart's) had brought Harry a letter stating that Harry had been accepted into the wizarding school.

That had been nearly five years ago. Since that time, Harry had been through more than most grown wizards. He had faced his parents' murderer on four occasions, and managed to escape (barely) each time. He had discovered the truth about his godfather, Sirius Black, who was wrongly accused of murder and sent to Azkaban prison (and later escaped). Harry had grown to love Sirius as a father and a friend. However, the truth about Sirius Black had not been revealed to the wizarding community, as the evidence lay with Peter Pettigrew who was in hiding. Sirius, therefore, had spent the last two years on the run from the Ministry of Magic, and working for the Order of the Phoenix, a group of wizards and witches led by Albus Dumbledore (the Hogwart's Headmaster). The Order was organized to fight Voldemort and his followers, as Harry's parents, James and Lily, had done in their time.

It was thoughts of Sirius that kept Harry hidden in his bedroom for the better part of the days since he returned to Privet Drive. Whether he was awake or asleep, the replay of Sirius' death that Harry had witnessed occupied his thoughts: the graceful arch of Sirius' back, the look of surprise on his face, and the gentle fall beyond the mysterious black veil. Sirius was gone. Gone. Harry felt hollow. The empty ache filled Harry's entire body. He felt that he could never be whole again. He still felt responsible for Sirius' death, despite Dumbledore's talk with him a few weeks ago. This was the only other thing that often replaced Harry's thoughts of Sirius – the information Dumbledore had given him just a few weeks ago. Harry had been told of the prophecy that explained Voldemort's obsession with him. Harry learned that he alone could vanquish the Dark Lord. He either had to be murderer or victim.

Harry had rolled this idea over and over in his head to no end. _What does this mean? How could this be? Why does it have to be me?_

A quick rap on his bedroom door broke Harry from his thoughts.

"Harry. Breakfast. Now." Aunt Petunia's voice snapped from the other side of the door.

Harry listened to her footsteps fade down the hallway. He sighed and grabbed his glasses off his bedside table and glanced at the clock. 10:00. He was surprised she hadn't been up earlier to get him. She usually had him out of bed at the break of dawn with a list of chores to be done. So far, this summer had been different. It seems that the threats made by Alastor (Mad-Eye) Moody, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, and Mr. Arthur Weasley had left a lasting impression upon the Dursleys. This group of Order members had made it very clear that if Harry were mistreated in any way, they would make sure that the Dursleys would regret it. Despite Uncle Vernon's mutterings on the drive home from King's Cross Station – "…think they can intimidate me… tell me what to do in my own house … insult me…" – Harry knew the group's words had made an impact. While Harry was by no means treated as an equal, the number of insults and threats had lessened considerably.

Harry rolled off his bed, pulled on a faded, frayed robe, and headed down to the kitchen.

Uncle Vernon was sitting at the kitchen table reading the morning paper. _It must be Saturday_, Harry thought to himself. The days of the week seemed irrelevant to Harry since his return to Privet Drive. One does not need to know which day of the week it was to move back and forth from bedroom to kitchen, as Harry had been doing. His uncle's presence at the table this late in the morning, however, did indicate a weekend morning.

Harry sat down at the kitchen table as Aunt Petunia placed half of a grapefruit and a glass of milk in front of him. This, it appeared, would be the extent of acknowledgement that he would get from either his aunt or uncle. Harry was used to this, and rather preferred it to the snide comments he often received. He began to eat his grapefruit in silence.

Dudley entered the kitchen, squinting at the bright light, looking very pale, and walking as though each step was painful. His eyes were bloodshot and he exuded a smell that reminded Harry of Mundungus Fletcher. The elder Dursleys seemed oblivious to this.

"Ooh, Diddykins! What can I get for you, dear?" Aunt Petunia squealed, running over and walking Dudley to his chair.

"J-just some water," Dudley replied thickly, as though his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth.

"Oh, nonsense!" simpered Aunt Petunia. "It's Saturday, you can have whatever you like!"

Dudley remained quiet.

"How about pancakes? Crepes with strawberries and cream? Waffles with my special homemade sugared peaches? Oh, I know, how about some eggs?" Aunt Petunia twirled around the kitchen, opening cupboards with each suggestion.

Harry eyed Dudley, whose face seemed to go paler and paler with each suggestion.

"N-no thanks, mum. J-just water."

"Fine, fine. You need to think about it. Here's your water, Diddykins." Aunt Petunia said sitting down next to him.

Dudley grasped the glass and downed the water quickly. Aunt Petunia jumped up, refilled his glass and returned.

"You must be tired from your late night, son," Uncle Vernon said, setting down his paper and smiling at Dudley.

"Mm," Dudley noised between gulps.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan must have enjoyed their outing. They don't seem to care too much about getting home at a respectable hour. That was obvious at last year's Christmas social – remember Vernon? I thought they would never leave. And not even thinking of poor Dudley." Aunt Petunia relayed, knowingly. "How was it babysitting young Emily, Dudley?"

Harry snorted into his milk. _Dudley babysitting?_ Harry could not imagine any parents in their right minds leaving their child in the care of Dudley. Harry also knew, by the look of Dudley this morning, there was no way he spent the previous night babysitting.

Three heads snapped in Harry's direction as he spluttered in his milk. Dudley was glowering at Harry threateningly, his meaty hand gripping his glass tightly. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia glared at him with the utmost disgust.

"And what is your problem, boy?" Uncle Vernon spat.

"Nothing," Harry said, returning to his grapefruit.

"I should hope that _you_ would look up to Dudley. Your cousin has taken the responsibility upon himself to earn a little pocket money. _He_ doesn't expect handouts. _He_ has a sense of pride." Aunt Petunia snarled, talking down her long nose towards Harry.

Harry clamped his mouth shut. The thoughts that were flying through his mind would not get him anywhere. First, Dudley had no need for pocket money, being the most spoiled person Harry knew. Second, Harry did not want, nor would ever want, handouts from the Dursleys. Third, proud was the last adjective Harry would use to describe Dudley. Harry could think of a few more accurate descriptions, including several colourful nouns. Harry nodded his head instead.

This seemed to pacify the Dursleys. They returned to their usual Saturday morning discussions – which neighbour had got a new car, which neighbour had not donated to the charity Aunt Petunia was collecting for, and so on. Dudley continued glaring at Harry in between his gulps of water.

Harry rose to leave, taking his dishes to the sink.

"Wait." Uncle Vernon ordered. "Sit down."

Harry sighed, placed his dishes in the sink, and returned to his chair at the table.

"Yes, Uncle Vernon?" Harry replied, preparing himself for some sort of onslaught of insults.

"I haven't noticed you sending any letters," Uncle Vernon stated, glaring at Harry.

Harry furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Pardon?"

"Th-those …p-people at the train station. They said that you were to keep in touch with them," Uncle Vernon spat out, while Aunt Petunia squirmed in her seat, and Dudley froze in his chair.

_HA!_ Harry smiled to himself. He knew that the Dursleys could care less about his own well-being, but were very worried about their own. Harry was to write a letter, a minimum of every three days, to let his friends know that he was okay. If his friends did not receive a letter, the Dursleys could expect a visit from any or all of Mad-Eye, Tonks, Remus, or Mr. Weasley.

"Well, boy?" Uncle Vernon snarled.

"I sent a few letters yesterday with Hedwig," Harry replied, staring at the top of the table. All three Dursleys shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Harry wasn't sure if they were worried about the content of the letters, or just responding to the talk of owls. The Dursleys forbade any mention of anything magical in their home, even if it was just Hedwig, Harry's owl.

Harry looked up and saw that Uncle Vernon's face had turned a deep red, and that Aunt Petunia was sitting stiffly in her chair, her wide eyes darting back and forth between Harry and Uncle Vernon.

"And?" Uncle Vernon spat.

"And what?" Harry asked.

Uncle Vernon's face darkened further, nearing a deep purple now. "Should we be expecting any…visitors?"

Harry considered, for a moment, telling them that, yes, the entire entourage may very well be walking up the garden path at the moment. He pictured Dudley falling out of his chair, Aunt Petunia gasping and running to peer out the window, and Uncle Vernon… well, he wasn't sure what Uncle Vernon would do. _No_, Harry thought, _probably not a good idea_.

"No," Harry said resignedly, "I told them I was fine."

Harry remembered the three identical letters he wrote last night, to Ron, Hermione, and Remus.

_Hi. Everything here is as usual. I'm fine._

Harry 

Harry knew his friends and Remus would be disappointed in his letter, but what else could he say? There was nothing else to say. The bare existence he was living at the Dursleys provided little to include in his letters.

"Fine," Uncle Vernon said, his face draining in colour, slightly.

Harry, feeling that he had appeased his relatives, stood up once again to leave.

"Go up and shower, " Aunt Petunia said, crinkling her nose. "There's been a foul smell in here ever since you've been down. Honestly, you can't even keep yourself _clean_!"

Harry walked towards the door, knowing full well that the smell was not coming from him, but from Dudley. Harry would not point this out though, happy to have the opportunity to leave. However, Aunt Petunia was not finished yet.

"Get yourself looking respectable. Mrs. Figg is expecting you for lunch today."

Harry froze and turned around.

"M-Mrs. Figg?" Harry asked, his heart pounding and his stomach lurching.

Aunt Petunia took the look on his face as a grimace, and a satisfied smile spread across her bony face.

"Yes, _Mrs. Figg_. You know she just loves having you over for tea," Aunt Petunia said sweetly.

Harry nodded and left the kitchen. Indeed, Harry remembered many hours sitting with Mrs. Figg, an elderly neighbour, who would talk for hours on end about her numerous cats. The Dursleys only allowed these visits, Harry knew, because he had hated them. However, the last time he saw Mrs. Figg, the circumstances had been quite different. Harry had just fought off the dementors that had attacked Harry and Dudley, and Mrs. Figg had arrived in quite a state. Harry had learned that Mrs. Figg was a Squib; she was born a witch, but had no magical abilities. Mrs. Figg, Harry discovered, was one of many people from the magical world who had been keeping an eye on Harry.

Harry hurried through his shower and dressed quickly.

_Does she have news for me?_ Harry wondered. _Has something happened? Has someone been attacked?_

Harry paced around his room, waiting until it was time to leave. He didn't want to leave too early and raise suspicion in the Dursleys. If they knew how he really felt about visiting Mrs. Figg, they would undoubtedly prevent him from going.

_She could just want to see me_, Harry reasoned. Yet, he could not help but hope that she had some news for him.

"Get down here, boy!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, stopping Harry's train of thoughts.

Harry rushed to his bedroom door, but then caught himself. _Take it easy_, he told himself. He went down the stairs slowly, dragging his feet, shoulders hunched, and a scowl on his face. Aunt Petunia looked absolutely gleeful at the sight of Harry, his demeanor hiding the building hope and anticipation welling up inside him.

"Well, get going!" Uncle Vernon's hand pushed Harry towards the door. Harry managed to grab his jacket off the coat rack just before the door was shut behind him. The rain had not let up one bit. Harry quickly pulled his jacket on, and ran down the steps, shielding his glasses with his right hand to keep the rain off. He splashed through the water, down the garden path and onto the sidewalk. He walked quickly and swore under his breath as the rain pelted him. He was soaked to the skin by the time he knocked on Mrs. Figg's door.

"Oh, Harry!" cried Mrs. Figg, pulling him into her arms. Harry stood awkwardly, his arms pinned to his sides by her embrace. Harry had grown enough over the last year that he was well over a foot taller than Mrs. Figg. If he had the use of his hands, he would have likely patted her on the top of the head.

"Come in, come in, dear," Mrs. Figg said, releasing him. "Let me take your coat. Oh dear, soaked right through, aren't you? Here, put this blanket around you dear. We don't want you getting sick now, do we?"

Harry stood quietly as Mrs. Figg fussed about him. His thoughts of possible news still flying through his mind, Harry waited for some kind of indication from the dear, old woman.

"Let's go into the kitchen, Harry. We'll have some nice, hot soup, dear." Mrs. Figg said, leading Harry to the kitchen. "Oh, and Harry, there's someone here to see you."

Harry's insides lurched, hope filling the emptiness that had consumed him for so long. _Someone's here to see me_, Harry thought to himself. No matter who it was, Harry felt his heart lighten somewhat. Harry hated being separated from the magical world, even though he now understood why he had to return to Privet Drive each summer. It was the safest place for him, thanks to the protection his mother had given him by sacrificing herself to save him. Knowing this did not make Harry hate living with the Dursleys any less. Harry did not belong here, and the pain and despair Harry had been feeling since Sirius' death seemed to have consumed him completely at Privet Drive. But now, someone was here to see him. Someone to give him news, someone who would remind him of the world he belonged to, someone to remind him of the good people in his life, and, if he was lucky, it would be one of those good people in his life.

Harry was nearly managing a smile as Mrs. Figg pushed open the door to the kitchen. Harry walked in behind her, then stopped dead in his tracks. His mouth fell open, and he hunched over as he felt as though someone had kicked him in the stomach. Harry began blinking hard, not believing his eyes. _NO!_ Harry thought to himself. _NO! NO! NO!_ Harry struggled to breathe, as all feelings of hope vanished and were quickly replaced by feelings of grief, pain, and…hate. Sitting on a stool in the corner of Mrs. Figg's cluttered kitchen, sat Kreacher, the Black family's house elf.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – The Black Estate

Harry felt as though he was going to be sick. He bent over, with his hands on his knees, head hung low, and squeezed his eyes shut.

_It can't be, _Harry told himself. _Why is he here? What possible reason would … that thing … need to see me for?_

Harry opened his eyes, still bent over, and looked again at the corner. Staring back at him, with a look of equal enmity, sat Kreacher. Harry's thoughts once again returned to the talk he had with Professor Dumbledore a few weeks ago. Only now, Harry was focusing on a different part of the conversation. Harry was remembering Dumbledore's explanation … how Kreacher had played a role in setting Harry up to go to the Department of Mysteries … how Kreacher had lied to him, causing Harry to believe that Sirius was in grave danger … how Dumbledore had told him that Kreacher had _laughed_ after learning that the plan had worked and Sirius himself had left to follow Harry…

Harry squeezed his eyes shut again as the pain of these memories filled his being. Harry's throat burned, his stomach clenched, and he began to shake. _It was his fault_, Harry told himself. _If it wasn't for him…_

"I'm going to kill you," Harry said, standing up swiftly, pulling his wand from his jeans pocket, training it on Kreacher, and stepping towards him.

Harry felt two sets of arms grab him from behind, but Harry did not care. This _thing_ had taken Sirius from Harry; this _thing_ did not deserve to live.

"As you wish, Master," said Kreacher, standing up on the stool and holding his arms to his side to give Harry a clear shot.

Harry stopped struggling against the arms holding him. _Master?_ Harry stared at Kreacher, wondering what kind of game the blasted house-elf was playing now.

"Come, Harry. Sit down." Harry heard a familiar voice break through his thoughts. Harry turned his face to the voice that had spoken to him.

"Professor Lupin?" Harry asked, blinking his eyes hard once again.

"Come now, Harry," Remus said lightly, "I think we're well beyond the need to call me Professor." He was looking at Harry with a half-smile that did not reach his eyes, appearing very much like a concerned parent.

Harry suddenly felt very weak, and allowed Remus and the other set of arms to escort him to a chair at the table. As his senses starting to come back, Harry marveled at the grip of the hands on his right arm. Realizing it could not possibly be Mrs. Figg, Harry drew his gaze to his right. Peering at him over half-moon spectacles were bright blue, glittering eyes. Professor Dumbledore.

"Afternoon, Harry," Professor Dumbledore said, releasing Harry's arm and sitting on the chair to Harry's right.

Harry nodded and swallowed, having lost the ability to speak. His breath was still shallow, feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of him. Remus sat to Harry's left, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's going to be okay, Harry."

Harry nodded absently.

Mrs. Figg appeared, placing bowls of hot soup in front of them. She took the seat opposite of Harry, placing her own bowl down. "Eat up, dear. It'll warm you up."

Harry had not noticed that he was visibly shaking.

"Yes, let's tuck in," Dumbledore said, grasping his spoon. "Tell me, Arabella, how has your summer been?"

Harry tuned out the rest of the conversation; he wouldn't have been able to follow it even if he tried. Too many thoughts were racing through his head, so quickly that no thought stuck around long enough for Harry to make any sense of it. Feeling Remus's eyes on him, Harry looked over at him. The tired, pale eyes of Remus Lupin bore into Harry's eyes searchingly. Harry could see the concern and worry etched into the prematurely lined face of his parents' friend. Remus nodded towards Harry's bowl. Harry relented, grabbed his spoon, and swallowed a mouthful of Mrs. Figg's homemade soup. The heat soothed his constricted throat. Without further thought, Harry ate his bowl clean, not even pausing when Mrs. Figg ladled more soup into his bowl.

"Quite delicious, Arabella. Thank you so much for opening your home to Remus and me," Dumbledore said, leaning back in his chair. Still trying to sort through his thoughts, Harry resumed staring at the top of the table.

"Of course, of course. You know I would do anything to help," Mrs. Figg said, clearing the remainder of the dishes from the table.

"Your help is greatly appreciated. Now then, I dare say we need to get to the matter at hand." Dumbledore flicked his wand, and a small stack of papers appeared in front of him on the table.

"I'll leave you to take care of business. Let me know if you need anything," Mrs. Figg replied, exiting the kitchen.

An eerie silence enveloped the kitchen. Harry stared hard at the table top, not trusting himself to look up. He could feel the eyes of Remus and Dumbledore on him. He did not feel worthy of their concerned looks. The presence of Kreacher sitting in the corner also encouraged Harry to stare at the table. The house-elf brought back too many memories, too much pain, too much guilt.

Remus broke the silence, saying, "Are you feeling all right, Harry?"

Harry continued to stare at the table, his eyes following the curves and lines of the wood's grain. He had not yet found his voice, so he nodded. Harry sensed, rather than witnessed, the skeptical glances between Remus and Dumbledore.

"Well, then," Dumbledore began, "let's get started." Dumbledore leaned forward and focused those piercing blue eyes on Harry. "Remus and I have come here today to talk about a few things. First off, we have some paper work that must be addressed. I don't expect this to be an easy task for you, Harry, but this needs to be done."

Harry, his curiosity piqued somewhat, looked at Dumbledore and nodded.

"These papers," Dumbledore said, waving his hand over the stack, causing the papers to separate into several smaller piles, "all have to deal with Sirius's estate."

Harry flinched at the sound of Sirius's name. _I don't want to do this … I can't talk about this … why do I have to do this?_

Dumbledore, seeming to read Harry's mind, said, "I'm sorry we have to do this, Harry. But, as Sirius's godson, you have inherited his entire estate."

Harry's eyes widened and his jaw dropped slightly. He wasn't surprised, exactly. If he thought about it, Sirius had no other family that he would leave his estate to. But that was the point – the thought of Sirius's estate had not once crossed Harry's mind. It seemed, even now, unimportant; a frivolous thing, really, compared to the constant ache Harry felt. Harry fought to find his voice, wanting to tell Dumbledore that he didn't want this, but failed. His voice would not come to him, and so Dumbledore continued.

"First thing, Harry, is the contents of the Black vault at Gringotts," Dumbledore said, grabbing one of the stacks of papers in front of him. "The amount is indicated here, on the first page," Dumbledore said, placing the papers in front of Harry.

Harry glanced down at the paper where Dumbledore had indicated, not really caring what it said. The number was rather large, larger than Harry would have expected, but Harry would rather both bank vaults be empty and have Sirius back instead. He waited for Dumbledore to continue.

"Now, you need to sign here on the first page, and then here on the third page," Dumbledore indicated to Harry, flipping through the pages. A beautiful scarlet quill and silver ink bottle appeared in front of Harry. Harry leaned forward, grabbed the quill, and dipped it into the ink bottle. He signed in the spaces indicated, then laid the quill back down, his movements strained and robotic.

"These papers will be sent to Gringotts and the vault's contents will be moved into your own. Here, Remus, if you will sign as a witness," Dumbledore continued, passing the papers to Remus.

"Second thing, Harry, is the house in London," Dumbledore said. Harry knew he was referring to number twelve, Grimmauld Place. Harry glanced over at Kreacher, who had remained seated in the corner with a scowl on his face. Feelings of hurt and anger welled up inside Harry yet again.

"I-I don't' want it," Harry muttered, struggling to get his voice to work and clenching his fists on the table.

"Please, Harry, hear me out," Dumbledore replied.

"Sirius hated that place, and so do I. I don't want it, " Harry stated, his voice finding some strength.

Dumbledore sighed. "You're right Harry. Sirius did hate it. It reminded him of everything he so desperately tried to free himself of. And I have no doubt you feel the same way about it. However, it is not up to you to make any decisions about the Black house, at this time."

Harry stared at Dumbledore. "Then why are we talking about it?" Harry snapped, and then scolded himself for speaking that way to the Headmaster.

Dumbledore ignored Harry's tone. "It is true, Harry, that the house has been left to you. However, property cannot be legally owned by underage wizards. Therefore, until your seventeenth birthday, someone must hold it for you in trust. Sirius has named Remus to this position."

Harry turned his head to look at Remus. Remus had been watching silently, absently twirling the scarlet quill in his hand. He gave Harry a reassuring nod.

"There's something else you need to know in regards to the house, Harry," Dumbledore stated, as Harry turned to face him again.

"Yes, Professor?" Harry asked, making sure to address him appropriately.

Dumbledore stared into Harry's eyes, as though searching for something.

"Of course, everything within the house is included in this arrangement, " Dumbledore began. Harry nodded. "Everything, including Kreacher," Dumbledore said slowly.

Harry put his head in his hands, resting his elbows on the table.

"Kreacher is now bound to you, Harry, and for the next year, to Remus," Dumbledore explained.

Harry tried to work through this new information. _So that's why he's here…that cursed house-elf is now mine … great, just great_, Harry thought to himself. He took his hands away from his face, but could not bring himself to look at Kreacher. Instead, he looked at Remus.

"I don't know about you, Harry," Remus said softly, "but the first thing that came to my mind was to get rid of him."

_At last, someone was making sense_, Harry thought.

Remus continued, "However, Professor Dumbledore has reminded me of a few things that we must take into account."

Harry remained silent, waiting for Remus to explain. Remus leaned forward and clasped his hands on the table.

"Kreacher knows too much, Harry. If we sent him out of the house, he may be more likely to betray us." Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Remus raised his hand to stop him. "I know, Harry. Kreacher has already betrayed us all. He has already shown us that he is a liability. That's why it's so important for us to keep an eye on him. He is now bound to us, Harry. He takes orders from us. We cannot afford to give him the opportunity to divulge anything else. As hard as it may be to understand, as difficult as it may be to have a constant reminder of Kreacher's role in Sirius's death, we must keep him, Harry."

Harry hated to admit it, but he knew Remus was right. If they were to free Kreacher, they would be taking the risk of leaking valuable information to the Death Eaters. Living at headquarters for the Order, Kreacher knew far too much.

Harry forced his eyes over to Kreacher. The house-elf glared back at him, daring Harry to disagree.

"You're right," Harry said, "he has to stay." Kreacher slouched on his stool, crossed his arms, and stared daggers at Harry.

Professor Dumbledore pushed more papers in front of Harry and Remus to sign, finalizing the arrangements for the house as discussed.

"Now, Harry. There's just one last item we need to cover in regards to Sirius's wishes," Dumbledore said.

Harry sighed. He was already feeling drained by the process already. Harry looked at Dumbledore, who glanced at Remus, and then continued. "It has to do with your guardianship."

Harry furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "My what?"

"Your guardianship. Yes, Harry, you are nearly an adult and in all practical means, you are in no need of a guardian," Dumbledore began, pushing an envelope towards Harry. "But, seeing as you are not yet of age, Sirius has left some instructions. He has left this letter to you, which should explain his wishes."

Harry's mouth went dry. His heart jumped into his throat, and he was filled with a mixture of anxiety and hesitation. He stared at the envelope lying on the table before him. In Sirius's familiar script, Harry read his own name.

"Would you like us to leave you alone, Harry?" Remus asked.

"N-no. That's all right," Harry said, not really knowing what to expect from the letter that lay in front of him. With a shaking hand, Harry reached for the envelope, turned it over, and pulled out the letter within. The sight of Sirius's handwriting caused a prickling behind Harry's eyes, and his throat constricted slightly.

_Keep yourself together_, Harry scolded himself. Harry blinked hard, took a deep breath, and began reading.

_Dear Harry,_

_I'm going to start off by apologizing. For what, you ask? Well, if you're reading this, it means that something has happened to me, and for that, I am sorry. I am sorry that you have had to lose yet another person in your life._

_Please promise me that you will not blame yourself for anything that might have happened to me. I know you, Harry. You're blaming yourself. Please don't. I am a stubborn, and might I say, brilliant man, who knows full well what he is getting into. It would hurt me so if you felt responsible in any way. Please don't, Harry. It wasn't your fault. In case you didn't get it the first time, it wasn't your fault._

_I think of all you've been through already, and I wish that I could have been there for you more. What joy it would have given me to have raised you from a baby – to have seen your first steps, your first day of school, your first Quidditch match, and so many other firsts that not only I, but also your parents, were denied. Regardless of those missed moments, I have treasured every moment I have spent with you. Your parents would be so proud of the man you have become. I, myself, could not be prouder, or have loved you more, even if you were my own flesh and blood. You are an extraordinary person, Harry, and you have terrible burdens to bear. Know that I will be with you, Harry, in some form or another, fighting right beside you. _

_Now, I know that you are very capable of taking care of yourself, Harry, but I have one request. You have spent too much of your life with people whom you despise, and it would give me such pleasure to make sure that you will always be surrounded by those who love you. So, as my last request, I have asked Remus to be your godfather. I trust this man with my life, and ask you to trust him with yours. I know he loves you, as I do, Harry. He will do anything for you without thinking twice. I want him to be there for you and to share with you everything that I cannot. He is a kind, unselfish, loving man, and it is with great love for you both that I ask you to share this bond. Remus will take good care of you, Harry. Please let him._

_With you always,_

Sirius 

Harry's eyes were burning. The horror of everything he had been feeling – the ache, the emptiness, the sadness, the guilt, the fear – threatened to break the surface. The honesty and sentiment of Sirius's words washed over Harry. He fought to keep up the walls that he had so carefully built and maintained. But Harry was not going to win this battle. He would have to be on the losing side for once. The walls were coming down. Harry buried his head in his arms on the table, and wept.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 – A Break in the Weather**

Harry did not know how long he sat there, in Mrs. Figg's kitchen, crying into his arms. He had been vaguely aware of Remus moving his chair closer to Harry, and placing his hand on Harry's back, soothingly. Harry had finally let himself feel the pain that was so deep inside him; he finally let himself mourn the death of his godfather; he finally let go.

Eventually, Harry's ragged breathing slowed and the tears extinguished themselves. Remus was still beside Harry, comforting him with his mere presence. Harry lifted his head, wiped his tear-stained face on his sleeves, and took a deep breath.

"Sorry," Harry said gruffly, pulling off his glasses to wipe them clean. He put them back on, and looked at Remus. Remus's eyes were as red and puffy as Harry's.

"I thought you did rather well," Remus said, giving Harry a small smile. "It took me three tries to get through my letter."

Harry smiled. For the first time in a long time, he did not feel alone.

Harry glanced around the kitchen. "Where's Professor Dumbledore?"

"He took Kreacher into the other room. I'll go -- " Remus began, rising from his chair. But, just as he straightened up, Dumbledore returned to the kitchen. "Excellent timing, as always, Professor," Remus remarked, sinking back into his chair.

Dumbledore smiled and returned to his seat to Harry's right. Dimbledore's penetrating blue eyes surveyed Harry.

"It's okay, Professor. I'm fine," Harry said, returning Dumbledore's gaze.

Dumbledore seemed to consider Harry's words for a moment, then replied, "Yes, Harry. I do believe you are fine." His eyes crinkled as he gave Harry a warm smile. "Unfortunately, we do have some paperwork to finish up."

Dumbledore returned to the stack of papers in front of him. "Harry, is it safe for me to assume that Sirius stated his wishes regarding your guardianship in his letter?"

Harry shifted in his seat, aware of Remus sitting next to him. "Y-yes, sir."

"Good. Then let's make this official." Dumbledore looked through the papers in front of him. "Yes, here it is," he said, pulling a paper out from the bottom of the stack.

Dumbledore paused, looking first at Harry, then to Remus. "As stated here, Sirius has named Remus as your godfather, Harry." Dumbledore paused again. Harry sat quietly, staring at Dumbledore. Dumbledore peered over his glasses at Remus, and asked, "Remus, do you fully accept this responsibility?"

Harry held his breath, and darted his eyes to Remus. Remus' kind eyes looked at Harry searchingly. Harry's mind began to race._ What if he says no? What if he doesn't want me? _Harry's stomach began to tighten.

"Nothing would make me more proud, than to be Harry's godfather," Remus said, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder. "That is, if Harry will have me."

The air Harry had been holding in rushed out of him. He grinned at Remus, "Absolutely." They smiled at each other, and then turned to the paperwork Dumbledore set in front of them. After everything was signed, Dumbledore waved his wand and the papers disappeared.

Dumbledore sighed, leaning back in his chair. "It feels good to have that business taken care of." He smiled at Remus and Harry. "I, for one, think Sirius has made an excellent decision."

Harry smiled as he stared at the table top, reflecting on everything that had happened since he came to Mrs. Figg's house. Harry experienced one surprise after another, some good, some not. Harry had been feeling so horrible for so long, that he felt quite odd sitting there, feeling content. There was still an empty feeling inside him, but it no longer consumed him. He knew that he would always feel the loss of Sirius, but he was not alone in this. Sirius had made sure of that. Sirius' last request had ensured that Harry would be surrounded by people who had known and loved his parents, who would be there for him in the difficult times ahead.

At this thought, Harry turned to Dumbledore and asked, "Is there any news? Has anything happened since…" Harry broke off, as memories flooded his mind. He was thinking of that fateful day at the Ministry of Magic. Not only did Harry lose Sirius in the Department of Mysteries that day, but he and his friends had faced and battled an army of Death Eaters, ending with Harry facing Lord Voldemort once again.

"No, Harry," Dumbledore said gravely. "It seems that Voldemort's unexpected appearance at the Ministry of Magic has caused him to go even further into hiding. He was quite happy when everyone was denying his return, but having been witnessed by so many people in the Ministry, he is likely reformulating his plans."

"What will his plans be now that the prophecy is destroyed?" Harry asked, his mouth going dry as he thought of the prophecy.

"I have some ideas, but I can't be sure," Dumbledore replied. "This is the other reason for my being here today Harry."

Harry swallowed. "Why's that, sir?"

Dumbledore looked at Harry as his forehead wrinkled with concern. "I'm afraid Voldemort may try to break into your mind again."

Harry nodded. He was not surprised by this information. Whatever plans Voldemort had, Harry knew he would be part of them.

"I wanted to ask you, Harry," Dumbledore said, leaning forward in his chair, "Have you had any indication that Voldemort is trying to reach you? Any dreams? Any pain in your scar?"

Harry shook his head, "No. Nothing more than the usual prickling of my scar."

Dumbledore nodded, leaning back in his chair, and lacing his fingers together in front of him. "If you feel up to it, Harry, I'd like you to study Occlumency again."

Harry's thoughts took him back to the Occlumency sessions in the dungeon with Professor Snape, Harry's Potions teacher. Harry's father and Snape had been in school together at Hogwart's, and had despised each other. Snape had redirected his hate for James onto Harry, and Harry returned the feelings. The sessions with Snape had not been a good experience, and it had ended with an incident that left Snape hating Harry, if possible, even more.

Harry shifted in his chair. "I don't think Professor Snape will agree to it."

"No, Harry," Dumbledore smiled grimly, "I have learned my lesson._ I_ would be teaching you Occlumency."

Harry stared at Dumbledore, his mouth open slightly. Harry knew Dumbledore to be extremely busy, especially with all the things going on with the Order. If Dumbledore was setting time aside to work with Harry, he must be worried about something happening.

Harry thought again of his sessions with Snape. Harry had always felt horrible after. His head had throbbed with excruciating pain as Snape attacked his mind over and over again. The thought of going through that again was not appealing to Harry.

Harry took a deep breath. "When do we start?"

Dumbledore's bright blue eyes twinkled at Harry. "You never cease to amaze me, Harry," Dumbledore said, inclining his head to the side. "You have far more strength than you give yourself credit for."

"I couldn't agree more," Remus said, startling Harry, for he had sat silent for so long.

Harry squirmed in his chair, uncomfortable with being complimented for something that, he felt, he did not have.

"Well, Harry, when do you think you will be ready to leave?" Dumbledore asked.

"Err…leave? Professor?" Harry asked, his eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.

"Yes, Harry. Leave." Dumbledore said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "I am assuming you will want to leave Privet Drive to go live with your godfather."

Harry's mouth fell open. "But, I thought…I thought I had to stay…for my mom's protection…you said – "

"Yes, Harry. You're right," Dumbledore said, cutting Harry off. "As I explained to you recently, it is necessary for you to return to live with your Aunt Petunia every year to maintain the old magic that protects you through your mother's blood. I must admit, I would prefer you to stay here. I still believe this to be the safest place for you. However, your godfather," Dumbledore continued, nodding towards Remus, "assures me that you will be quite safe living with him."

Harry swallowed, his mind reeling. The thought of returning to Grimmauld Place without Sirius sent a chill down Harry's spine. _It will definitely be weird_, Harry thought to himself,_but it is Remus's and my house now. I can't stay away forever. And the Dursleys…_ Harry's decision was made.

"I'll be ready to leave as soon as you'll let me," Harry said determinedly.

Remus smiled. "How about tomorrow? Is that too soon?"

"An hour from now wouldn't be too soon," Harry said fervently, returning Remus's smile.

Remus laughed. "Well, let's stick with tomorrow. It will give you a chance to let your aunt and uncle know of the arrangements."

"They won't care," Harry said quietly.

Remus looked at Harry with a hint of sadness. "You're probably right, Harry, but you should explain the circumstances to them."

Harry nodded, still trying to wrap his mind around the thought that he'd be leaving the Dursleys tomorrow.

"Shall we say noon, then, Harry?" Remus asked, standing and clapping Harry on the shoulder.

"Sounds great," Harry replied, standing up as well.

"We'll be taking the Knight Bus, so it may be best to have a small breakfast tomorrow." Remus said, his eyes twinkling.

"Good idea," Harry said with a laugh. He had been on the Knight Bus twice before, and knew the stops and starts, and twists and turns of the bus only too well.

"Well then, Harry, I will give you a day to get settled in your new home," Dumbledore said, joining Remus and Harry by the kitchen door. "I will come by on Monday to begin your Occlumency lessons."

"All right, Professor," Harry replied.

Dumbledore led the way out of the kitchen into the sitting room. Mrs. Figg was sitting in her rocking chair, knitting one of her colourful, cat-sized blankets that she called "gannies."

"Oh!" she said, jumping up, "Have you finished?"

"Yes, Arabella. Thank you again for your kindness," Dumbledore said, walking over to her and shaking her hand warmly.

"My pleasure," she said, smiling up at Dumbledore.

"We must be off," Dumbledore said, bowing to her slightly, and then turning to face Harry and Remus.

Mrs. Figg rushed over to Harry. "Here you are dear," she said, handing Harry his coat. "I dried it for you. It should be nice and dry for your walk home, although I'm not sure you'll need it anymore," she said, gesturing to the window.

Harry looked outside. The rain had indeed stopped, and the sun seemed to be finding its way through the clouds. The shrubs in front of Mrs. Figg's house sparkled brightly as the sunlight bounced off the raindrops that still clung to the leaves.

"When will you be stopping by again, Harry dear?" Mrs. Figg asked, looking expectantly at Harry.

"Err…" Harry shifted uncomfortably on his feet, shooting a glance to Dumbledore, and then to Remus.

"Harry will be leaving tomorrow to live with Remus, Arabella," Dumbledore said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Her eyes opened wide, and her mouth opened and closed several times as she tried to speak. Her eyes filled up with tears. "Oh, Harry!" she sobbed, grabbing him tightly into a hug. Harry, his arms pinned to his sides once again, stood awkwardly in her embrace. She released him, sniffing softly.

"I guess I always knew this day would come," she said, nodding her head. She turned to Remus, shaking her finger at him. "You take good care of him!"

Remus smiled solemnly. "I promise, I will."

Mrs. Figg then threw herself at Remus and hugged him. Remus patted her on the back, consolingly, smiling at Harry over her head. She pulled back, holding him by the arms, and stared into Remus's eyes, "I know you will."

Dumbledore cleared his throat as Mrs. Figg released Remus. "Harry, Remus and I will be apparating from here. I imagine you have some packing to do, so we'll leave you to it."

Harry nodded, looking from Dumbledore to Remus, still not quite comprehending everything that had happened since he arrived there. His gaze moved to Mrs. Figg, who was standing with her arms wrapped around herself, her bottom lip quivering slightly.

Harry stepped over to Mrs. Figg and gave her a hug, "Bye, Mrs. Figg. Thank you for everything." She hiccoughed as he stepped back.

"Stay out of trouble," Mrs. Figg said.

Harry grinned, "I'll try." He nodded to Remus and Dumbledore. "Bye, then."

"See you tomorrow, Harry," Remus replied, grinning at Harry.

"Good-bye, Harry," Dumbledore said.

Harry turned and walked out the door of Mrs. Figg's house into the brilliant sunshine. His feet splashed through the puddles still lying on the sidewalk, but he did not notice. His feet carried him home, as a million thoughts raced through his mind.

Before he knew it, Harry was in his bedroom, tossing his scattered belongings into his trunk. He had walked straight through the house without even noticing if the Dursleys were home. He could think of nothing else, other than making sure he had everything ready to go for tomorrow.

As Harry was clearing some rolls of parchment off his desk, his thoughts fell to his best friends. They likely had no idea that he would be leaving Privet Drive tomorrow. Harry knew that they would want to know. He sat down with a quill in his hand, poised to write. He worked the words over in his head carefully, not wanting to say anything too specific in case the letters were intercepted.

_Dear Ron,_

_I can't say much now, but as of tomorrow I'll be living at Snuffles' old place. No need to worry, and I'll explain it all soon._

_Harry _

Harry frowned down at his letter, not quite satisfied with it, but knowing that he couldn't include any more details. Harry, Ron and Hermione had referred to Sirius as "Snuffles" for some time now, to make sure no would know who they were talking about.

Harry scanned the letter once more, sighed, and then wrote the same letter to Hermione. He called Hedwig down from her cage, where she had been sleeping with her head nestled under her wing. She eyed him warily, and then swooped down to his desk.

"Take these to Ron and Hermione, but don't come back here. Go to Grimmauld Place instead. I'll be there tomorrow. Okay?" Harry said, tying the letters to Hedwig's outstretched leg. She nipped his finger lightly to show she understood, then soared out the open window.

Harry returned to packing his trunk. He was amazed at how much he had scattered his things in the few days he had been back.

Suddenly, there was a sharp knock on his door. "Harry. Come down for supper." Aunt Petunia said through the door.

Harry was shocked that the afternoon was gone already. He must have been longer at Mrs. Figg's than he thought. He tossed the t-shirts he was holding into his trunk, and then went downstairs to the kitchen.

Dudley and Uncle Vernon were already seated at the table, their plates mounded with food. Harry sat down in his seat, where his plate held one sausage, a quarter of a potato, and a few carrots. He smiled._ My last meal here for the summer. _

"What are you smiling at, boy?" Uncle Vernon spat.

Harry smiled even wider. "Oh nothing, Uncle Vernon. I was just thinking how great this supper looks. Thank you, Aunt Petunia." Harry looked over to his Aunt Petunia, his green eyes rounded innocently.

Aunt Petunia stopped mid-pour over Dudley's glass of milk, narrowing her eyes at Harry. Uncle Vernon and Dudley stared at Harry stupidly.

"We don't need any comments from you," Uncle Vernon growled.

Harry shrugged his shoulders and began to eat.

Aunt Petunia was not satisfied. She took her seat and looked down her nose at Harry. "How was your visit with Mrs. Figg?" she asked smugly.

Harry tilted his head to one side. He had been wondering how he was going to approach the subject of him leaving, and figured he might as well get it over with.

"It was alright. I didn't see much of Mrs. Figg, though," Harry replied, forking a piece of sausage into his mouth.

Aunt Petunia took to the bait. "Oh, no? Why not?" she asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes further.

"I spent most of the time talking with Professor Dumbledore and my godfather." All three Dursleys stared at Harry silently. Then Uncle Vernon snorted.

"Liar," he spat out, but then laughed darkly. "Your godfather is dead."

Harry stopped chewing and swallowed hard, staring at his uncle. Harry did not know how they knew that Sirius had died. He had not told them. He could also not believe that his uncle had just laughed at the fact that Harry's godfather was dead._ He's worse than Kreacher_, Harry thought to himself.

Harry recollected his thoughts, and replied, "I'm not lying. I've been named a new godfather." Harry resumed eating.

Aunt Petunia sniffed. "I'm sure he's no better than the other, if he's one of_ your_ lot."

Harry continued to chew his carrots, ignoring Aunt Petunia's comments. Aunt Petunia shifted in her chair, obviously disgruntled that her comment hadn't got a rise out of Harry.

"Well…what did they want?" snapped Aunt Petunia.

Harry placed the last piece of sausage in his mouth and chewed slowly. He swallowed._Okay, this is it_, he told himself.

"My godfather has asked me to go live with him, and I've accepted."

The Dursleys stared at Harry, not knowing whether to believe him or not. Harry watched as his uncle and aunt's faces flushed.

"You…well…I…he…" sputtered Aunt Petunia. She pressed her lips into a thin line, then said, "Don't you think we should have a say in this?"

Harry shook his head. "It's all been done. Professor Dumbledore knows, and I'm leaving." Harry said, matter-of-factly. He rose from the table, taking his dishes to the sink.

"Well, I should think we have some say," Aunt Petunia continued shrilly. Harry walked towards the kitchen door, and paused wondering why she was feigning concern.

Aunt Petunia continued, "How do we know this new godfather of yours is trustworthy? Is he a murderer like the last one?"

Harry stared at his aunt, considering her comment. Slowly, a smile spread across his face. "No, Aunt Petunia. He's not a murderer. He's a werewolf, and he'll be by tomorrow at noon to get me."

Harry turned and left the kitchen laughing, etching the looks of absolute horror on the Dursleys faces into his mind forever.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Of Things Unexpected

Harry woke with a start early Sunday morning. He had been dreaming that the Dursleys had locked him under the stairs to prevent him from leaving. He had been screaming and pounding on the door when Remus had arrived, but to no avail: Harry could not be heard and Remus had left. He had then heard his aunt say, "Now, all we have to do is wait for Tom Riddle to come get him."

It was at this point that Harry had jerked himself awake. Shaking his head, Harry took in his surroundings. Recognizing the blurry furniture, he ascertained that he was in his bedroom, not under the stairs, and, thankfully, not with Tom Riddle.

Harry swung his feet to the floor and grabbed his glasses from his nightstand and put them on. He glanced at the clock and read that is was 7:23 a.m. _Less than five hours_. Harry's stomach flipped as he realized his time at Privet Drive was nearing an end. Excitement pulsed through him. Harry knew there was no point in trying to get any more sleep. He pulled on his bathrobe and headed down to the kitchen.

Aunt Petunia sat alone at the kitchen table, still wearing her flowered housecoat over her nightgown. She sat with both hands wrapped around her mug of coffee, staring vacantly across the room.

"Morning," Harry said, walking to the cupboard and grabbing a glass.

Aunt Petunia jumped, startled by the sound of Harry's voice.

"Morning," she returned, her mind still seemingly far away.

Harry raised an eyebrow at his aunt as he poured some orange juice into his glass. He placed the pitcher back in the refrigerator and walked over to sit at the table. He took a sip of his orange juice, eyeing his aunt; he noticed the dark circles under her eyes and wondered if she had slept at all.

"Are you all right, Aunt Petunia?" Harry asked.

Aunt Petunia seemed to be startled to find Harry sitting next to her. She darted her eyes at Harry, then stared into her coffee cup. "Of course. I'm fine," she replied.

Harry thought she looked far from fine, but remained silent. Harry took a sip from his juice and glanced out the window. The clouds all seemed to have disappeared. The pinks and purples of the sunrise were nearly gone as a bright blue sky spread itself warmly.

"Have you got everything packed?" Aunt Petunia asked.

Harry broke his gaze from the window and looked at this aunt. "Nearly. There are just a few last minute things to pack up."

Aunt Petunia nodded. Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He had never had a _normal_ conversation with his aunt before. Harry decided to take advantage of this opportunity.

"Aunt Petunia, I was wondering…" Harry began, waiting to see her reaction. There was none, so he continued. "I was wondering how Uncle Vernon knew that my godfather had died."

Aunt Petunia continued to stare into her cup. For a moment, Harry wondered if she had even heard him. But then, she spoke.

"I told him." She took a sip of her coffee and continued, "That – _man_ – Dumbledore had written me before you came back. He said there had been … an incident. He said that you and your friends were lucky to have survived, but that your godfather was not so lucky."

"He wrote you about that?" Harry asked surprised.

"Yes," Aunt Petunia said, looking like she had just tasted something sour. "He was quite concerned about you. He always has been."

Harry shifted in his seat, surprised by this information. Harry remembered the howler Dumbledore sent Aunt Petunia last summer and wondered how many letters Dumbledore had written to Aunt Petunia over the years.

"W-was…was it _him_?" Aunt Petunia asked quietly.

"Pardon?" Harry asked, completely lost by his aunt's question.

"The incident…was it Voldemort?"

Harry was shocked. Not only had his aunt used the name that most wizards feared to speak, but she was also asking Harry about something in his life, about the world she pretended didn't exist.

Harry cleared his throat. "Yeah, it was Voldemort and his followers."

Harry saw Aunt Petunia shiver in her chair. Her hand trembled as she clutched her robe tighter around her neck. For the second time in his life, Harry saw his aunt as his mother's sister.

"Then no one is safe," Aunt Petunia whispered.

Harry nodded, staring at his aunt. He marveled at this side of his aunt that he had never known.

Uncle Vernon came into the kitchen, changing the atmosphere instantly. Aunt Petunia shot out of her chair, smoothed her housecoat, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Coffee, Vernon?" she queried, hurrying over to the coffee pot.

"Mm," Uncle Vernon said as he lowered his bulk onto his chair, glaring at Harry.

Harry, not wanting to become a target for his uncle, rose from the table and deposited his glass in the sink. He walked out of the kitchen and sighed, relieved that he had escaped so easily. He went up to his bedroom and sat on his bed.

Harry dwelled on Aunt Petunia's words. _Then no one is safe_. Harry felt a chill down his spine as he acknowledged the truth in her words. It was odd, indeed, to have Aunt Petunia be right about something in the magical world that so many wizards and witches had been denying. Of course, it wasn't just wizards and witches that would feel the wrath of Voldemort, but Muggles as well. Harry knew that. As Aunt Petunia had said, no one was safe from Voldemort.

Harry shook his head, not wanting to think any more on the subject. He busied himself with getting ready. He took a shower, made his bed, and gathered the rest of his belongings and piled them in his trunk. He cleaned Hedwig's cage and squeezed it in his trunk, wondering if she had already arrived at Grimmauld Place after delivering the letters to Ron and Hermione. After looking under his bed for the fifth time to make sure he had everything, he closed his trunk and looked around the room. The bright white walls, the narrow bed, the writing desk…none of it had been his. He would not miss it.

Harry glanced at the clock—11:30. He had done well in keeping himself busy to make the morning speed by. With one last glance around the room, Harry picked up one end of his trunk, dragged it out into the hallway, and down the stairs. He set it down in the front hall, and walked into the living room.

Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley were all sitting, rather rigidly, and dressed in their Sunday best. Uncle Vernon sat in his chair, his moustache bristling, as he cast his eyes upon Harry. Aunt Petunia and Dudley were sitting on the sofa. Aunt Petunia looked rather pale as she twisted the fringe of her apron between her fingers in her lap. Dudley sat on the far end of the sofa, looking as though he was trying to hide behind his mother, an impossible feat. His necktie was tied so tightly, Harry thought it might synch his head right off.

Harry sat down in the empty armchair, opposite Uncle Vernon, and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.

No one made a sound. Harry looked from one Dursley to the next, expecting some kind of confrontation, but he was only met with stares. He thought they looked absolutely terrified. He decided to break the silence.

"I'm all set. Remus should be here soon."

If anything, Harry's comment caused them to look even more scared. He then remembered his comment last night, and realized they were probably expecting a full-fledged werewolf to come to the door. Harry smiled to himself and decided not to say anything more.

They sat for several minutes in silence. Harry listened to the birds outside, singing happily in the sunshine. Harry let his mind wander, casually glancing at his relatives every now and then. Uncle Vernon's face became increasingly purple, and the sound of his teeth grinding was soon added to the birds' singing. Aunt Petunia, on the other hand, was becoming paler by the second. Her skin looked shockingly white next to the dark brown blouse she was wearing. Dudley, for his part, looked green.

The doorbell rang, causing the Dursleys to gasp. Harry stood and walked to the door. When he opened it, he was surprised to see two people peering in at him. The first, of course, was Remus. He was dressed in one of his shabby suits: seams fraying, buttons missing. Standing beside Remus, was Mr. Weasley, Ron's father, dressed in a suit that was in no better shape than Remus's.

"Afternoon, Harry," Mr. Weasley said, shaking Harry's hand energetically.

"Hi," Harry said, standing aside to allow the two men to enter.

"Are you ready to go?" Remus asked, smiling at Harry.

"Yes," Harry said grinning.

Uncle Vernon cleared his throat as he stepped into the entrance.

"Ah, Mr. Dursley," said Remus, stepping forward and extending his hand, "I'm Remus Lupin, Harry's godfather."

Uncle Vernon's eyes flicked up and down Remus, taking in his run-down clothes. His gaze then moved to Harry, glaring.

Remus dropped his hand and turned to Harry. "You did tell them I was coming, didn't you?"

Harry shifted awkwardly on his feet. "Yes."

"Hmph," Uncle Vernon growled.

"Is there a problem?" Remus asked politely.

By this time, Aunt Petunia and Dudley had appeared behind Uncle Vernon.

"Not at all," sneered Uncle Vernon. "The boy has obviously tried to intimidate us with his lies."

Harry glared at his uncle with loathing.

"Harry?" Remus asked, raising his eyebrows.

Harry looked at Remus apologetically and said under his breath, "I told them you are a werewolf."

Understanding flickered across Remus's face. He clasped his hands together and nodded. "Yes, quite true. But no need to worry; the full moon is a ways off yet."

Dudley squeaked and bolted up the stairs. Aunt Petunia's hands flew to her mouth in horror. Uncle Vernon's eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared.

"What are you playing at?" Uncle Vernon growled, clenching his fists by his side.

"Playing? Not at all," Remus replied smiling. "Arthur? Harry? Shall we be on our way?"

Harry nodded vigorously, grinning from ear to ear. Mr. Weasley, who had remained silent since greeting Harry, agreed. "Yes, let's go. Harry, do you have your wand on you?"

Harry sensed his aunt and uncle stiffen. "Of course," Harry said, as he always carried it with him.

"Good. Make sure it's handy." Mr. Weasley said, glancing toward the door. This made Harry feel somewhat uneasy. He had not taken the time to think of the precautions that had likely been necessary in making the arrangements for him to travel in broad daylight.

"Time to say good-bye, Harry," Remus said, nodding to the Dursleys.

"Right," Harry said, looking at his aunt and uncle. He knew there would be no heart-felt goodbye, not that he wanted one. "'Bye, then," Harry said nodding at his aunt and uncle.

Uncle Vernon folded his arms and glared at Harry. Aunt Petunia still looked affright, and seemed incapable of movement or speech.

Harry turned to Remus and Mr. Weasley, gave them a half shrug and picked up one end of his trunk. Both Remus and Mr. Weasley looked at the Dursleys with disgust. Remus walked over to the other side of the trunk and lifted it. He glanced at the Dursleys once more to give them another chance to say something to Harry; they made no such attempt.

Mr. Weasley nodded to Remus and Harry, putting his hand in his suit jacket pocket. Harry knew Mr. Weasley was wrapping his fingers around his wand. Harry glanced to Remus, and noticed his hand in his pocket as well. Harry shifted the trunk into his left hand, so his right hand would be free should he need to grab his wand from his back pocket.

Mr. Weasley opened the door and peered out. He stopped, as though waiting for a sign Harry could not see, then stepped outside.

Harry glanced at this aunt and uncle as he and Remus followed Mr. Weasley through the door. Harry pulled the door shut with his free hand and followed Remus down the garden path with the trunk between them. They paused at the sidewalk, allowing Harry to look back at the house. He could not decipher his feelings.

"You all right, Harry?" Remus asked.

"Yeah," Harry said turning away from the house. "This is just really weird."

Remus nodded. "I imagine it is."

They continued walking down the sidewalk. Mr. Weasley walked ahead of them briskly, glancing up and down the street continuously. As they reached the corner, Harry noticed a tall, thin woman with graying hair pulled tight into a bun. She was wearing a frilly blouse and skirt that would make Aunt Petunia proud. She seemed to be waiting for them. As they approached, the woman winked at Harry and said, "Wotcher, Harry!"

A smile spread across Harry's face as he realized who the woman was. "Hi, Tonks," Harry said. Tonks, a member of the Order, was a Metamorphmagus, which meant she could change her appearance at will.

The group of four continued down another street, and then turned into an alleyway. Mr. Weasley, Tonks, and Remus looked in all directions, and then nodded to each other. Tonks threw her arm up in the air and with a _BANG,_ a bright purple triple-decker bus burst into view in front of them and screeched to a halt.

"Welcome to the…" began a young, thin man that Harry knew to be Stan Shunpike, conductor of the Knight Bus.

"Out of the way," growled a voice on the bus from behind Stan. Limping into view was Mad-Eye Moody.

"So far, so good, Moody," Mr. Weasley commented, indicating for Harry to get on the bus. Harry nodded, set down his end of the trunk, and stepped into the bus.

"Over there, Potter," Moody replied, indicating a group of chairs near the back of the bus. Harry stepped over several overturned chairs and sat down. Harry looked around, noticing that there appeared to be no one else on the bus.

Moody seemed to have read his mind, "Had to tip 'em a few Galleons to give us a little privacy." Harry nodded, feeling nauseated as always by Moody's magical, spinning eye.

Harry waited for the others to join them, feeling Moody's magical eye staring at him even though Moody was facing the front of the bus.

Remus spoke quietly to Stan at the front of the bus, and then came and sat beside Harry. "They've agreed to take us straight to Grimmauld Place, no stops. All I had to do was threaten Stan with an eye to match Moody's," Remus said, winking at Harry.

Harry laughed. Tonks and Mr. Weasley positioned themselves on the two upper levels of the bus, while Moody sat at the front. BANG. The bus jerked from the alleyway, causing an entire row of fences to jump out of the way. Harry clung to his seat as the bus jumped from one roadway to the next. After being thrown from his chair twice, Harry wondered why he should bother getting up off the floor at all.

BANG. The bus came to a stop and Harry rolled several feet toward the front of the bus. He pushed himself to his hands and knees and took a deep breath, thankful he had taken Remus's advice and not eaten anything for breakfast.

Harry felt a hand at his elbow to help him to his feet. "Here we are, Harry. We'll have to walk a few blocks," Remus said, ducking down to look out the bus windows.

Remus turned to face Harry. "Tonks and Mad-Eye will go ahead to make sure the way is clear."

Harry nodded as Tonks walked past him, looking obviously shaken. "I say we fly next time, eh Harry?" Tonks said, rubbing her elbow.

Harry grinned. Flying was definitely a better way to travel than the Knight Bus.

Tonks and Moody made their way out of the bus and down the sidewalk. Mr. Weasley followed them out of the bus, and stood just outside the door with Stan.

Harry glanced around nervously, wondering how they would know when it was safe to go. He would never know, for Mr. Weasley had just popped his head into the bus and said, "It's time."

Remus and Harry stepped off the bus and picked Harry's trunk up off the pavement. They followed Mr. Weasley down several streets. Finally, Harry began to recognize the grimy fronts of the houses lining the street. They stopped in front of two houses; to the left was number eleven and to the right, number thirteen.

Harry took a breath, then thought to himself: _Number twelve, Grimmauld Place_. Instantly, a battered door squeezed itself out between the two houses, followed by a stretch of grimy walls and windows.

Harry followed Mr. Weasley up the stone steps and paused as Mr. Weasley glanced around and then tapped his wand on the door. The sounds of locks turning and chains clinking met Harry's ears. His stomach was beginning to knot. He was back at the Black household, but everything had changed. He realized he had not prepared himself for this at all. Harry had been so eager to leave the Dursleys that he had not allowed himself to think about this place. But now here he was facing the battered black door with the silver serpent doorknocker. Harry's breathing became quick and strained. The door opened and Harry felt himself being ushered into the dark, cold hall of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Houseguests

The familiar smell of dust and dampness greeted Harry's nostrils. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, Harry saw the threadbare carpet and peeling wallpaper of the entryway.

"Let's head to the kitchen, Harry," Remus said quietly. "We'll leave your trunk here for now."

Harry nodded and set the trunk down. His legs seemed to be fighting against him as he followed Remus down the stairs that led to the kitchen. Harry stepped into the cavernous room and was surprised that there was a part of him that expected Sirius to be sitting at the long wooden table, leaning back in his chair, waiting to greet Harry. The thought was so fleeting, that if Harry hadn't felt so odd about it, he wouldn't have even acknowledged it. However, Sirius's absence had never before been so powerful to Harry. The empty space inside Harry that had once held Sirius ached.

Harry dragged himself over to the table and slumped into a chair. Remus placed a mug of butterbeer in front of Harry, and then settled into a chair on the opposite side of the table. Harry could feel Remus's eyes on him. Harry ignored him, hoping Remus would leave him alone and not ask any questions. They sat in silence as Remus took an occasional sip from his mug. Harry grew angry, feeling patronized by Remus's stare and silence. He looked at Remus and scowled.

Remus broke the silence. "I always feel strange when I walk in here." He paused for a moment and then continued, "I still think I'm going to see Sirius."

Harry's anger was quickly replaced by guilt, and then sadness. Harry scolded himself for getting angry with the one person who was missing Sirius as much as he was. Harry took a deep breath, trying to steady his voice. "I didn't realize it would be so hard. I wasn't prepared to be back here."

Remus nodded. "I don't think you ever can be prepared. Eventually," Remus continued sadly, "the strangeness will become normal."

Harry stared at Remus and wondered if that was how he felt when Harry's parents had been murdered. Harry found it hard to believe that it would ever feel normal not to have Sirius in his life.

Harry's thoughts were cut short when Mr. Weasley and Tonks walked into the kitchen. Tonks had returned her appearance to normal, or at least as normal as Tonks ever looked. She was wearing heavily patched jeans and a pink t-shirt that hung off one of her shoulders. She had decided on short, purple hair that stuck up in all directions. She walked over to Harry and put an arm around him. "It's good to have you here, Harry."

Tonks released Harry and turned to Remus and Mr. Weasley. "Shall we have some lunch?"

"I'm afraid I need to get back to the Burrow," Mr. Weasley said, smiling at Harry. "You wouldn't believe the fuss Ron and Ginny made when Ron received your letter, Harry. They insisted on coming with me, but of course Molly would have none of it," Mr. Weasley said, his eyes twinkling.

"How is everyone?" Harry asked eagerly. He had loved the Weasley family from the moment he met them. They had always made Harry feel as though he were part of the family.

"Everyone's fine. Molly's keeping busy with the Order and keeping the rest of us in line," Mr. Weasley said, smiling. "Charlie and Bill are still pulling double duty, with their jobs and work for the Order. Fred and George seem to be taking their joke shop to new levels. It's been very successful. I'm sure you'll be seeing them soon, Harry. They've also joined the Order."

Harry's mouth fell open. He could not imagine Mrs. Weasley allowing this, despite the fact that the twins were of age.

Mr. Weasley laughed at Harry's expression. "I think Molly got tired of arguing with them and realized that there was nothing she could do to stop them."

Harry smiled, knowing that it was very difficult to win an argument with either Mrs. Weasley or the twins.

"And how are Ron and Ginny?" Harry asked, even though he had seen them both only a week ago.

"They're good. They're worried sick about you, but they're fine," Mr. Weasley replied. "But I should be off so I can let everyone at home know you've arrived here safely. "Moody has already left to inform Dumbledore. I'll see you soon, Harry."

"'Bye, Mr. Weasley," Harry said, standing to shake his hand. Mr. Weasley grasped it warmly, nodded to Tonks and Remus, and then left the kitchen. Harry noted that Mr. Weasley had not mentioned anything about Percy, the Weasleys' third son. Obviously things had not been patched up since their fight last year.

"Well, how about that lunch?" Tonks asked, smiling. "I'm no Molly Weasley, but I think if you two get off your butts and help, we should be able to manage some sandwiches."

Remus and Harry grinned at each other. "Okay, Tonks," Remus said, rising from his chair. "As long as you let Harry or me deal with the cutlery. We don't want any injuries today."

Harry laughed. Tonks was extremely clumsy.

Tonks put her hands on her hips as if to retort, then shrugged. "Who am I kidding? You're right."

Harry smiled as he grabbed a stack of plates. _Maybe being back here won't be so bad, after all._

Harry began setting the table as Remus and Tonks prepared the sandwiches. He listened to their light banter and smiled as they teased each other. Harry laughed out loud when Tonks summoned the loaf of bread, only to make it fly straight into the back of Remus's head.

"Ah!" Remus yelped, rubbing the back of his head. "I suppose I should be thankful it wasn't the jar of pickles."

Tonks elbowed him in his ribs and said, "Watch yourself, wolfman. I'm not finished yet!"

Harry nearly dropped the plate he was holding. _Wolfman?_ He waited for Remus to make some kind of remark, but apparently this wasn't the first time she had called him that.

"Is that a threat?" Remus asked, grinning.

"No. Just a warning," Tonks replied, winking playfully at Remus.

Harry watched Remus and Tonks with interest. He had rarely seen Remus so relaxed that watching him interact so casually with Tonks was a bit of a surprise. Harry had seen a hint of this a few times before. Harry had always seen a spark of mischief in Remus's eyes whenever he spoke of his times with Sirius and Harry's father. Harry was happy to see somebody else lighting a spark inside Remus.

Harry sat in his bedroom several hours later, staring at the dull, bleak wall. After lunch with Tonks and Remus, Harry had lugged his trunk up to the bedroom he and Ron had shared the previous year. The calm that had come over him was slowly seeping away. During lunch, Remus had asked Harry what he thought about redecorating the place. Harry hadn't really given the idea much thought. But the longer he sat in his bedroom, the more he could see Remus's point. Even without the thoughts of Sirius, the place was depressing. If he and Remus were going to make this place home, the tattered carpets and wallpaper had to go.

A sound from the other side of Harry's bedroom door broke him from his thoughts. It sounded like several elephants had been released into the hallway. Harry stood to go investigate, but was saved the trouble as his bedroom door swung open. Standing in the doorway, with faces flushed and wide grins, were Ron and Ginny.

"What are you two doing here?" Harry asked, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Good to see you too, Harry," Ginny said mockingly. She walked over, giving Harry a quick hug and then sat down on one of the twin beds in the room.

"You still haven't answered my question," Harry said, smiling.

"We wanted to come and give you a proper welcoming," Ron said, throwing himself down beside Ginny. "It took a little convincing, but we finally got Mum to let us come."

Ginny laughed, "A little convincing…that's one way of putting it."

"Why didn't she want you to come?" Harry asked, sitting down on the other bed, facing them.

"Oh, she went on and on about you needing time to get settled. Then she said we should wait to be _invited,_" Ron explained, rolling his eyes.

"It is okay that we came, isn't it, Harry?" Ginny asked seriously.

"Of course," Harry said, with a smile. "I could definitely use the company."

Ron's and Ginny's faces brightened. Harry had surprised himself with his comment. He had been so withdrawn during their last days at Hogwarts that he often avoided them. However, spending nearly a week at Privet Drive, combined with the bleakness of Grimmauld Place, Harry welcomed the opportunity for companionship.

"How long are you staying?" Harry asked.

"We'll be leaving tonight," Ginny replied. "Once we convinced Mum to let us come, she decided to make a big welcome dinner for you. She's downstairs right now, and we're banned from the kitchen until she says otherwise."

"And we'd be wise to stay well away," Ron said smirking. "You don't want to be on the wrong end of one of her fits. She seems to get worse every day."

Despite Ron's attempt to joke about it, Harry sensed there was something else going on.

"Is everything okay?" Harry asked.

Ron shifted uncomfortably and began fiddling with the edge of the bed quilt.

"She's just really worried," Ginny said, looking at Harry apprehensively. "She was really upset about the thing at the Ministry," Ginny added quietly.

Harry knew the "thing" Ginny was referring to was the day that Harry and his friends had fought for their lives against the Death Eaters. Both Ron and Ginny had been injured during the fight. Harry swallowed hard. He felt completely responsible.

"I'm sorry," Harry mumbled, staring at the floor.

"What for?" Ginny asked.

"Well, it _was_ my fault that all of you were there. If I hadn't fallen into Voldemort's trap, none of you would have been hurt."

"Harry, if you don't remember, you tried to go alone. You tried to stop us from going with you. It was _our_ decision to go. Stop blaming yourself," Ginny scolded. "We would do it again in a heart beat."

Harry looked at her in surprise. He was so used to people tip-toeing around him that her bluntness shocked him.

"And there's no way we would ever let you have all the fun – sending Lucius Malfoy to Azkaban and all," Ron said smiling. Malfoy was one of the Death Eaters that had been captured in the Ministry.

Harry smiled. "I can't take credit for that. It was all Dumbledore."

"Oh, I wish I had seen that!" Ron said, rubbing his hands together gleefully. Ron had been in a different room at the time, having first been cursed by a Death Eater, and then incapacitated by the mysterious brains with tentacles. Harry glanced at Ron's arms and noticed several scars still showing where the brains had attacked him.

Ron followed Harry's gaze to his arms.

"They're looking much better, don't you think?" Ron asked.

"Sure," Harry nodded. However, no matter what anyone said, Harry would feel guilty for the injuries his friends sustained that day.

"Harry – " Ginny began, seeming to read Harry's mind.

"Is Buckbeak still here?" Ron interrupted, casting a warning glance at Ginny.

Harry, glad for the change in topic, smiled. "I think so. Why don't we go check?"

Ron and Harry jumped up and headed for the door. Ginny sighed and followed the boys out of the room, shaking her head.

Harry woke up the next morning to the sound of Hedwig rattling in her cage. She had spent the night outside hunting, and was just now settling in for some sleep.

Harry opened his eyes and tried to figure out why his room was so dark. After blinking his eyes several times, the memories of the previous day came back to him: the trip from Privet Drive, lunch with Tonks and Remus, an afternoon with Ron and Ginny, and a delicious meal with the Weasleys, Tonks, and Remus. It had been quite a good day.

With a new day stretched out before him, Harry wondered what it would bring. He knew he would spend the morning cleaning with Remus – they wanted to get started on making the place _theirs_. After cleaning, Dumbledore was expected in the early afternoon to begin Harry's Occlumency lessons. Harry's stomach tightened at the thought of this. _Would it be as bad as it had been with Snape?_ Harry hoped not. His head had been feeling fine lately and he recalled how his head hurt after his lessons with Snape. _At least I don't have to put up with Snape_, Harry thought, a scowl darkening his face as he thought of his hated professor.

Harry got out of bed and dressed. After tossing several owl treats into Hedwig's cage, he went downstairs to the kitchen. Remus was sitting alone, reading the _Daily Prophet_.

"Morning, Harry!" Remus said happily.

"Morning," Harry replied, sitting down and helping himself to the pile of toast on the kitchen table. "Anything interesting?" Harry asked, nodding his head toward the paper in Remus's hand.

"Not really. Pretty much the same they've been saying for the past few weeks," Remus said, folding up the paper and setting it aside. "How was your sleep?"

"Good," Harry answered truthfully.

"Good, you'll have lots of energy for all the work this morning," Remus said. "Anywhere in particular that you would like to start?"

Harry shrugged. "Not really. I say we get rid of the most hideous stuff first."

Remus laughed. "You're going to have to be a little more specific than that."

They continued talking about everything that needed to be done, and soon the list became very long. Harry was slightly overwhelmed, realizing that he hadn't even been in every room in the house. There was enough work to be done to keep an army of people busy for a year. Harry wasn't sure how he and Remus would get it all done.

"We'll just tackle one thing at a time," Remus said. "There's no need to rush. And I'm sure that before we know it, we'll have some more bodies to put to work."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "We will?"

"If you have no objections, of course," Remus replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, yesterday afternoon I happened to mention our plans for redecorating to Molly. She was rather excited and offered to help. I thought it might be nice to invite the family to stay here for the rest of the summer. What do you think?"

Harry stared at Remus incredulously. "That would be brilliant!" Harry exclaimed.

"Of course, you could invite Hermione as well, if her parents agree," Remus continued.

Harry sat at the table, grinning. He had hoped to spend some time with his friends over the summer holidays, but he had never imagined this. Harry found it hard to believe that it was just two days ago that he had sat in his bedroom on Privet Drive, wallowing in self-pity and sadness. What he was feeling now was euphoria in comparison.

Just then, Tonks walked into the kitchen, yawning widely. She was wearing flannel pants, a faded t-shirt, and pink, fluffy slippers. Harry looked at her in surprise.

"Morning, Harry. I didn't expect to see you up so early," she said, ruffling his hair as she sat down beside him.

Harry grinned at her questioningly. "Morning, Tonks. I didn't expect to see you at all."

Tonks shot Remus a quick glance, and then said, "Oops. S'pose we forgot to tell you that I've been staying here since I got out of St. Mungo's. It was a lot more convenient for all my follow-up visits." Harry noticed Tonks's cheeks flush slightly. "And I suppose I've got used to the place," she said shrugging.

Harry looked over at Remus who was spinning his coffee cup in his hand. Harry thought Remus had a bit more colour in his cheeks too.

"Do you mind me staying here, Harry?" Tonks asked.

Harry returned his gaze to her. She was looking at him sheepishly, biting her lower lip. Harry turned to look at Remus again. He thought of their teasing in the kitchen yesterday and grinned at his godfather.

"I don't mind at all, Tonks," Harry said, still smiling at Remus, who was staring intently at his coffee cup. "Stay as long as you like."

"Thanks, Harry," Tonks said. "I really appreciate it."

Remus looked at Harry, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

"Well, then, it looks like we're going to have a full house in no time," Remus said, winking at Harry.

Harry continued grinning. "When are the Weasleys coming?"

"I think the day after tomorrow," Remus replied. "Molly said they would need to get a few things done at the Burrow before they could come."

Harry nodded and helped himself to a couple more pieces of toast. Things were definitely looking up.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 – Occlumency, Obstacles, and OWLs**

Harry saw Dudley's nine-year-old face laughing at him menacingly…Uncle Vernon's fist raised as a threat…Voldemort's snake-like eyes staring out of the back of his professor's head…a group of dementors advancing on the Quidditch pitch…Sirius's look of shock and fear as his body arched and fell gracefully backwards…

"Ouch!"

Harry gasped as his hands and knees hit the floor once again. It was Wednesday and Harry's third straight afternoon of Occlumency with Dumbledore. Harry had soon realized that his hope that the lessons with Dumbledore would be easier than with Snape was naïve. It was true that Harry did not have to deal with Snape's snide remarks, but Dumbledore was vigilant in his attacks on Harry's mind. He had been completely unprepared for the power and strength with which Dumbledore came after him. Harry's body was bruised, and his head had been pounding since his first session on Monday.

"That'll do, Harry," Dumbledore said, helping Harry to his feet. "Let's take a break."

Harry collapsed into the chair in the drawing room where they had been working and rested his face in his hands. He felt as though a meat cleaver had smashed into his forehead.

"I'm never going to be able to do this," Harry mumbled under his breath.

Dumbledore sat in an armchair opposite Harry. "You're making great progress, Harry."

Harry lifted his head and looked at Dumbledore. "I don't know what you mean, sir. I still can't block you from getting into my mind."

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "Just because I can still force myself in doesn't mean that you haven't improved."

"It sure doesn't feel like I've improved," Harry muttered, rubbing his forehead.

"Let me try to explain it from my point of view," Dumbledore said, peering at Harry over his half-moon spectacles. "When we began just two days ago, Harry, I had to do little more than look at you to enter your mind. Today, I had to use much more energy; I had to focus and fight my way in. It is no longer an easy task. I am convinced that if we continue with these lessons, you will be able to block my attempts completely."

Harry winced as another stab of pain shot through his head. "Will it ever stop hurting?"

Dumbledore observed Harry solemnly. "I wish I could answer that, Harry. Normally the pain does subside. The act of blocking the mind becomes natural – one just does it without thinking. However, Harry," Dumbledore said with concern etched on his face, "you do not fall into any 'normal' category. Your scar stumps us, and I have no idea if you will ever be able to rid yourself of the pain completely."

Harry put his head back in his hands and said quietly, "I'd give anything to be normal."

They sat in silence for several minutes. Harry sat pressing a cold cloth to his forehead that Dumbledore had cast a cooling spell on so it would stay cold. It was the only thing that helped the pain in Harry's head.

"There's something I've been wanting to talk to you about, Harry," Dumbledore announced, breaking the silence.

Harry looked at his professor. Dumbledore was sitting with his elbows on the arms of his chair, peering at Harry over his steepled fingers. His bright blue eyes reflected concern.

"It's about the prophecy," Dumbledore continued, watching Harry closely.

Harry's mouth went dry. He had not talked to anyone about the prophecy, but he spent hours thinking about it every day.

"Yes, sir?" Harry asked.

"Have you told anyone?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry shook his head.

"I'm glad, Harry," Dumbledore replied. "The less people that know the contents of the prophecy, the better."

Harry nodded; he had no desire to tell anyone about it anyway.

"However," Dumbledore continued, "I do believe there is someone you should tell."

Harry looked at Dumbledore questioningly.

"As far as I know, Harry, you and I are the only living people that know the entire contents of the prophecy. Your parents were the only other people to know. Professor Trelawney has no memory of delivering the prophecy."

Harry was surprised. "You mean the members of the Order don't know?"

"No, Harry. All they knew was that there was a prophecy made about you and Voldemort. They knew it would be detrimental for Voldemort to get his hands on the prophecy, but they never knew why. The fact that Voldemort wanted it so badly illustrated the importance of it."

"And they risked their lives to guard it from him," Harry replied quietly. "Why didn't you tell them?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "It is not my place to tell them, Harry."

Harry shifted in his chair. "You said that I should tell someone?"

Dumbledore studied Harry for several seconds, his piercing blue eyes boring through Harry. "It is completely up to you who you tell. I have no doubt that a time will come when you tell your friends. You have excellent friends, Harry; I know they will be a great support for you. I also know that you are not yet ready to tell them, and they may not yet be ready to hear it."

Harry shook his head at the thought of telling his friends.

"But I think there is someone who deserves to know," Dumbledore replied.

Harry stared at Dumbledore, waiting.

"Remus," he said simply.

Harry leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. Harry thought of everything Remus had already been through, and thought he could not add another thing to worry about.

"Why?" Harry whispered, shifting forward and staring at the floor.

"Because he loves you, Harry. You are his godson. I was a fool to keep it from you, Harry, and I should never have kept it from Sirius, either. The people that love you deserve to know…they need to know. We do not only share our successes with our loved ones, but also our burdens. It is hard for you to accept love, Harry. It saddens me that you have spent much of your life without feeling loved. You need to realize, Harry, there are many people who love you. You must let them in. You must share your burdens with them. You must let them help you."

Harry blinked hard. His throat had tightened considerably as he listened to Dumbledore. Harry struggled with Dumbledore's words as they washed over him.

"Do you think you can tell him, Harry?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

Harry's head throbbed painfully and his throat was so tight it was burning. He looked up at Dumbledore, knowing he could not do it alone.

"Could you help me?"

Dumbledore smiled softly. "Of course, I can."

Harry put his head in his hands. "Okay. I'll tell him."

"Shall I go get him?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry nodded. It would be better to get it over with.

Dumbledore left the room, leaving Harry alone. Harry grabbed the cold cloth and pressed it against his forehead, letting the coolness soothe and calm him. His throat began to loosen, although his stomach was still clenched.

Dumbledore returned quickly, with a concerned-looking Remus.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Remus asked, rushing over to Harry and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Dumbledore said you needed to talk to me."

Harry looked into his godfather's face. Harry saw the love and concern Dumbledore had talked about in Remus's eyes. His stomach clenched tighter.

"I'm fine," Harry said. "I just have something to tell you."

"Perhaps you should sit down, Remus," Dumbledore said, conjuring a chair beside Harry.

Remus's face paled as he sat in the chair. He leaned his elbows on his knees and peered at Harry.

"What is it?" he asked softly.

Harry cleared his throat. "It's about the prophecy."

Remus looked at Harry confused. "What prophecy?"

Harry looked down at his hands. "The one about Voldemort and me...that the Order was trying to protect. The one that was smashed in the room where…where Sirius died."

Remus nodded. "What about it?"

Harry looked at Dumbledore. He wasn't sure how to continue.

"As you know, Remus," Dumbledore explained, "the prophecies held in the Department of Mysteries are only a record. However, the person who hears the prophecy has the means to recall the prophecy despite the orb being destroyed."

"Yes, I understand that," Remus replied.

Harry looked at Remus. "Professor Dumbledore was the person the prophecy was made to," Harry said quietly.

Remus's eyes widened and his jaw dropped slightly. He closed his mouth, swallowing hard. "Does that mean you know what it says?" Remus asked.

Harry nodded, his forehead wrinkling as he looked at Remus worriedly.

Remus looked to Dumbledore, and then back to Harry. "Is that what you want to tell me?" Remus asked softly.

Again, Harry nodded as his throat tightened. He looked at Dumbledore, silently asking for help.

"All right, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, and Harry nodded.

Dumbledore sat forward in his chair, a pained look crossing his face. He recited:

'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…'

They sat quietly, Dumbledore's words seeming to echo through the room. Remus had his face in his hands, and Harry could hear the unevenness of his breath. Dumbledore sat, staring at the floor, a frown deepening the lines on his face.

Remus straightened in his chair, looking visibly shaken. He raised his glance to meet Harry's eyes. They looked at each other, both at a loss for words.

* * *

Harry stood in the shower, the hot water pounding over his head. He had been standing there, motionless, for several minutes, wishing the water could wash away the pain. His head and body ached from his lessons with Dumbledore and his heart ached from watching Remus learn of the prophecy.

Harry turned the water off and toweled himself dry. He stared at himself in the mirror. He looked pale and sickly; his bright green eyes had a ghost-like quality to them. His scar shone brightly, as though it was till hot from being burned into his skin. Harry shook his head at his reflection. He ran a comb through his dark hair and uselessly tried to push his fringe down with his palm. He tied his towel around his waist and headed for his bedroom.

He pushed open the door and stopped dead in his tracks. Standing in his bedroom, pinning some sort of poster on the wall, was Ron…and Ginny. Unfortunately for Harry, the sound of the door was enough to get Ginny's attention.

With one hand still holding the poster, Ginny turned to the door. "Hi Har – oh!" she gasped as she saw Harry, her hands flying to her mouth.

"Ginny, what the -- " Ron began as he struggled to catch her end of the poster. He turned to see what she was staring at. Ron laughed. "Nice look, Harry!"

Harry's face was burning. He could care less if Ron saw him in nothing but a towel, but Ginny was another matter.

"Turn around!" Harry sputtered. Ginny spun herself around to face the wall, her hands still covering her face. Ron chuckled and returned to pinning the poster on the wall.

Harry crossed the room to his wardrobe and pulled a pair of boxers on underneath his towel, and then slipped quickly into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"Good thing you were wearing a towel," Ron said, still laughing.

"Well, I don't usually make a habit of walking around naked," Harry replied sitting on his bed to pull his socks on.

"That's a shame," Ron said. "We could all use a good laugh."

Ron ducked as a pillow soared straight toward his head.

Harry laughed and glanced at Ginny, who was still standing with her hands over her face. "It's okay, Ginny. I'm dressed."

Ginny turned around to face him, grinning. "Don't worry, Harry. I've got six brothers. I've seen a lot of boys in towels."

"As long as it's only your brothers that you're seeing," Ron said narrowing his eyes in warning.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "No, Ron. I've actually been sneaking into the boys' showers at Hogwarts since first year. Didn't you know?" she said sarcastically.

Harry sensed one of Ron's overprotective brother speeches. He stood up and changed the subject.

"What's with the poster?" Harry asked, walking over to have a closer look.

Ginny shot Harry a grateful look.

Ron said, "It's one of my posters from home. I thought with the whole redecorating thing, I would donate this to try and brighten up this room."

Upon closer inspection, Harry noticed that it was a poster of Ron's favourite Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons.

"Thanks, Ron," Harry said. "But do you think we could get a poster of a _good_ team?"

It was Harry's turn to duck his head from a flying pillow.

"Good thing you're a Keeper and not a Chaser, Ron," Harry said grinning. "Your aim is awful."

"Is that right?" Ron said grabbing another pillow from the bed. "At least I wasn't replaced by a _girl_!"

Harry laughed, picking up a pillow. "I wasn't replaced by a girl, you moron. I was kicked off the team."

"And what's wrong with a girl playing, Ron?" Ginny asked, her eyes sparkling and her face flushed. She lunged for a pillow and hit Ron in the stomach.

And so it started. The three screamed and laughed as they swung pillows at each other, taking their battle to all corners of the room. Harry had at first been hesitant to go after Ginny, and focused instead on Ron. But after Ginny landed three solid hits on him, he gave her no mercy. Harry took advantage of the fact that Ron's last pillow to Ginny had knocked her to the floor. He pinned her down, holding one of her hands above her head as he tried to grab the pillow from her other hand.

"What's going on here?"

Harry's eyes shot to the doorway as Ron's pillow hit him squarely in the ribs. Standing with her hands on her hips, and an unreadable expression on her face, was Mrs. Weasley.

Harry looked back at Ginny, realizing he was straddling her, pushed himself up quickly and hoped his face wasn't as red as it felt. He reached out his hand and helped Ginny to her feet.

A smile seemed to tug at the corners of Mrs. Weasley's mouth. "I've never seen this approach to redecorating before."

Harry, Ron, and Ginny looked at the room around them. There were feathers everywhere, a few still floating through the air, and at some point they had knocked over the nightstand and lamp. The quilts had been torn off both beds, likely as a result of a frantic search for more pillows. All in all, the room was a disaster.

"I've come to tell you that we've just received word from Hermione. She hopes to be here by the end of next week," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Brilliant," Ron said happily.

"Yes…hopefully some of her good sense will rub off on you lot," Mrs. Weasley said eyeing the room. "Well, clean up and come downstairs. Supper will be ready shortly."

Mrs. Weasley then walked over to Harry and have him a tight hug. "I'm so happy to see you, Harry."

"Thanks for coming, Mrs. Weasley." Harry said returning her hug. "It's great to have all of you here."

Mrs. Weasley released Harry. "We'll do anything we can to help."

Harry nodded his head and smiled. "I know."

* * *

The days went by quickly. Harry spent every morning cleaning, or in some cases, tearing apart, different areas of the house. So far they had torn off the carpet in the entryway and drawing room. Mrs. Weasley was quite happy to find a wooden floor underneath. It was in quite good condition, and with one of her polishing spells, Mrs. Weasley had it looking like new in no time. Ron and Harry had spent an entire morning moving the stuffed house-elf heads of Kreacher's ancestors from the hallway to the attic. They would rather have binned them, but Kreacher went into such hysterics that they decided against it.

Kreacher, for the most part, stayed out of everyone's way. Harry still felt a surge of anger every time he saw the house-elf, but he managed to focus instead on the happiness of the people surrounding him.

Harry was still spending a few hours every afternoon with Dumbledore. His Occlumency lessons had not been any easier and he usually returned to his bedroom for a rest after each lesson with the cold cloth pressed to his forehead.

This is how Hermione had found him the day she arrived. Harry was lying flat on his back, the cloth resting on his forehead and his eyes closed. He felt a weight on his bed as he heard a quiet voice say, "Hi, Harry."

He pulled the cloth off his face and saw a blurry Hermione sitting next to him. He sat up, grabbed his glasses from his nightstand, and smiled. "Hi."

"You look awful," Hermione said, staring into his face.

"Gee, thanks," Harry replied sarcastically, pulling his knees up to his chest.

"How are you doing?" she asked, watching him closely.

He smiled at her concerned face. "I'm fine."

She looked at him skeptically. "So…what's it like being back here?"

Harry shook his head. She was definitely not going to let him off easy.

He took a deep breath. "It was really hard, at first," he said, looking at his feet. "I kept walking into rooms, expecting to see Sirius there, but I'm used to it now. I just really miss him."

"Oh, Harry!" Hermione cried, throwing her arms around his neck. "I'm so glad you'll talk to me about it."

She released him and he grinned at her. "Like you would let me get away without talking about it."

She smiled. "You usually disappear before I get a chance to corner you."

"That's true," Harry replied. "You did a good job of catching me while my guard was down."

Hermione grinned. "I know."

"But honestly, Hermione, I'm felling a lot better. Remus and I have talked about Sirius quite a bit. He's been really great."

"I'm so happy Sirius named Remus your godfather. He's such a kind person," Hermione replied.

Harry nodded. "With everyone here, I actually feel like I have a family."

Hermione smiled, her eyes bright with tears. She nodded and hugged Harry again. "You do have a family, Harry. We're all your family."

Harry hugged his best friend back. It had felt good to talk to her.

"Hm-mmm."

Harry looked towards the door. Ron stood there, looking at Harry and Hermione awkwardly.

"Come in, Ron." Harry said, releasing Hermione. "We were just talking."

Ron shuffled in and sat on his bed, looking from Harry to Hermione. "What were you talking about?" he asked quietly.

"Hermione just made me spill my guts about Sirius," Harry said. "Be glad you weren't here, mate. You know how mushy she gets," he finished, wrinkling his nose.

Ron laughed as Hermione punched Harry in the arm.

"Well, Harry, I'm glad you're talking about it," Hermione said, shaking her head. "I don't know what was worse: having our heads bit off every time we tried to talk to you, or you not talking to us at all."

"Thanks for reminding me what a prat I was," Harry said sarcastically.

"Any time, Harry," Hermione said smiling.

Ginny came running into the room, her face flushed.

"These just came!" she exclaimed, holding up several envelopes in her hand with a look of shock on her face.

"What is it, Ginny?" Hermione asked frowning.

Ginny swallowed. "Your OWL results."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at the envelopes in Ginny's hand. The OWLs were the exams all students wrote at the end of fifth year. The results determine which classes can be taken during the last two years at Hogwarts.

"Well, let's have them," Hermione said shrilly, as she jumped up and grabbed the envelopes out of Ginny's hand. She threw an envelope each to Ron and Harry, and then sat down beside Ron. She glanced at Ron and Harry, who sat staring at their envelopes, then sighed and tore her envelope open.

Harry and Ron watched her to see her reaction. After a moment she looked up at them. "Go on…open yours."

Harry returned to staring at the envelope in his hand. He had not thought of his OWLs since leaving Hogwarts; he had too many other thoughts occupying his mind. But now that they were in his hand, the importance of them overwhelmed him. The papers inside the envelope would determine his future.

Harry decided he might as well get it over with. He opened the envelope and skimmed over the opening paragraphs. Then, there they were: the list of his classes with his exam results.

_AstronomyA_

_Care of Magical CreaturesO_

_CharmsE_

_Defense Against the Dark ArtsO_

_DivinationP_

HerbologyE 

_History of MagicP_

_PotionsO_

_TransfigurationE_

Harry stared at his Potions grade. He couldn't believe it. He squeezed his eyes shut, shook his head, and looked at the paper again. _It's true_, Harry told himself, _I managed an 'Outstanding' in Potions_.

"What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked. "You look like you're going to pass out."

Harry shook his head in disbelief. He looked over to Ron, who had just opened his envelope. Harry watched as Ron scanned down his page. Ron's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. He looked at Harry.

"Potions?" Harry asked.

Ron nodded his head.

"For heaven's sake, what are the two of you going on about?" Hermione exclaimed.

"I got an 'O' in Potions," Harry said, barely above a whisper.

"Me too," Ron added, his eyes still wide.

"Well _of course _you did!" Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "You know Professor Snape marks extremely difficult. You were bound to do better on your OWLs."

Ron looked at Hermione in disbelief. "It would have been nice to know that a month ago! I thought I'd be lucky to pass."

"Oh honestly, Ronald!" Hermione exclaimed, shaking her head.

Ron raised his eyebrows at Harry who shrugged in response. The realization that he received all of the required marks for Auror training seeped through Harry. He smiled broadly. By the looks on Ron and Hermione's faces, they got the marks they had hoped for as well.

Ginny, who had been standing and watching the reactions of the other three, stomped her foot and said, "Isn't anyone going to tell me how they did?"

Harry smiled at her and held his paper out for her to take.

"Well done, Harry!" Ginny said as she stared at his grades. "Seven OWLs is really very good."

"I got seven as well!" Ron said happily. "Of course, Hermione got _all _of hers."

Hermione blushed. "Well, yes."

"Well done, Hermione!" Harry said sincerely.

The four spent the rest of the afternoon talking about the OWLs. Harry set Ginny into a fit of giggles when he told her about Ron's disastrous Divination practical, while Hermione rolled her eyes. Ron reminded Harry of how Hermione was _sure _she was going to fail Ancient Runes because of one missed translation. They laughed even harder when she admitted she got an 'O'.

"I really should send my parents a letter," Hermione stated. "Ron, can I borrow Pigwidgeon?"

"Sure, go ahead," Ron replied.

"Thanks. I'll just got to my room to write the letter," Hermione said. "Want to come, Ginny?"

"Sure," Ginny said, as she followed Hermione to the door. She paused and turned around, "Oh Ron, by the way, Fred and George are coming tonight to talk about that thing."

Ron looked quickly at Harry and then said to Ginny, "Right."

Harry watched Ginny leave and then asked, "What was that all about?"

"Oh, nothing," Ron said, pretending to study his OWL results again.

"Right," Harry said, unbelievingly.

"We're just trying to plan something for your birthday," Ron said nonchalantly.

"Really?" Harry asked, intrigued. He had never had a birthday without the Dursleys, which basically meant he had never celebrated his birthday.

"Oh, no…you won't get any details out of me," Ron said slyly. "But if we get our way, it's going to be brilliant!"

Harry grinned at Ron. Even if his birthday consisted of scrubbing out the attic with his friends, it was going to be his best birthday ever.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Fireworks

The days leading up to Harry's birthday did nothing to quell his curiosity. Every time Harry walked into a room, whoever was in it would stop talking immediately. There were whispered conversations going on all around him, and Harry's intrigue was slowly turning into annoyance. Mrs. Weasley was not helping matters. Not only did she seem to be opposed to whatever plans were being made, but she would not stop fussing over Harry either.

Harry awoke the morning of his birthday with the usual pounding in his head. Without opening his eyes, he reached for the cloth on his nightstand; he grabbed it and put it over his face, feeling the coolness working to dull the pain.

Eventually the pounding lessened to a throb, and Harry slowly became aware of his other senses. He realized he could not hear Ron snoring in the bed beside him.

Harry rolled over and saw that Ron's bed was empty. He squinted at the clock: 10:50 a.m. He couldn't believe he had slept so late, or more to the point, that no one had woken him up.

Harry sat up slowly, knowing that moving too quickly would hurt his head. He put his glasses on and crawled out of bed. After changing into jeans and a t-shirt, he walked down to the kitchen. He could hear many loud voices in the kitchen as he approached the door. They seemed to grow quieter as he got closer. He pushed open the kitchen door and his jaw dropped.

"Happy birthday, Harry!" a crowd of people cheered.

There were streamers hanging from every corner of the kitchen. Enchanted balloons of all sizes and colours floated along the vaulted ceiling, and there was some sort of glitter that hung in the air above their heads. A huge banner with birthday wishes was stretched along the far wall.

Harry looked at the people gathered there: Remus, Tonks, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Ginny, and Fred and George. They were all wearing ridiculous-looking pointed hats that Harry knew small Muggle children to wear on their birthdays. One by one, they all came and personally wished Harry a happy birthday. Mrs. Weasley, who was last in the line of well-wishers, did not seem to want to let go of Harry.

"Okay, Mum," Fred said, rolling his eyes. "You might want to let Harry breathe, you know. Perhaps let him _enjoy _his birthday."

Mrs. Weasley released Harry from her tight hug, only to put her hands on his cheeks. She peered into his face. "Are you feeling all right, dear? You slept so late, I was beginning to worry."

"I'm fine," Harry said with difficulty as Mrs. Weasley's hands were still on his face.

She moved her hands to his forehead. "You don't seem to have a fever."

"MUM! Enough! He's fine!" Ron exclaimed, staring at his mother incredulously.

Mrs. Weasley dropped her hands, blushing slightly. "I'm sorry, Harry," she said meekly. "You've just been through so much lately, and those lessons with Professor Dumbledore seem to weaken you so much."

Harry put his hands in his pockets and stared at the floor feeling slightly insulted by being called weak.

"I'm fine," he said strongly.

"Yes you are!" cried Mr. Weasley, patting Harry on the back. He steered Harry toward the table. "Sit down Harry and have a bite to eat."

Harry goggled at Mr. Weasley, who seemed far too excited.

Harry sat down at the table and for the first time noticed the food piled on it.

"It's about time you got down here, Harry!" Ron said, sitting down beside Harry. "I'm starving!"

"You haven't eaten yet?" Harry asked.

"Nope!" Fred said, sitting on Harry's other side. "Mum wouldn't allow it."

"She insisted on us all eating together," George continued, sitting on the opposite side of the table. "She almost took my hand off when I tried to nick a bun."

"Sorry I slept so late," Harry said sheepishly.

"No worries, mate!" George replied, winking at Harry. "We need you rested up. You'll need your energy for the rest of the day."

"Right you will," Fred exclaimed, grinning mischievously.

"What are we doing?" Harry asked, trying his best to be nonchalant.

Harry would have to wait. Remus was standing at the head of the table, waiting for everyone to be seated. He cleared his throat, and all heads turned to look at him.

"First of all, I want to thank everyone for being here on my and Harry's behalf. It means a lot to me to see so much work and effort put in to give Harry a well-deserved celebration," Remus said, smiling at everyone in the room. Despite his smile, Remus looked weak and pale, as the full moon had only been two nights ago.

"Harry," Remus continued, "your friends have quite a day planned for you, so let's get it started. Let's eat!"

"Hear, hear!" cried Fred and George simultaneously, raising their glasses of pumpkin juice.

Everyone dove into the plates in front of them. There were sausages, eggs, bacon, toast, tarts, biscuits, and pies. Harry ate heartily, laughing as Fred and George told him of their newest inventions for their joke shop, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

"It's a shame we can't come with you today," George said between mouthfuls. "But with the school year only a month away, we need to make sure we're well-stocked."

"Yes, it's too bad we can't enjoy the fruit of our labours," Fred continued, waving his hand around the room. "It took quite a bit of convincing."

"What did?" Harry asked, still completely clueless about the day's plans.

Fred and George ignored Harry's question.

"I believe this to be one of our best ideas," George said proudly.

"Make sure you have enough fun for the both of us, Harry!" Fred continued.

Harry gave Fred an exasperated look. He had enough of all the talk; he wanted to know what was going on. Fred and George continued grinning at Harry.

Fred pushed his empty plate away. "Sorry we have to cut our visit short," Fred said, as he a George stood up. "Ron, you've got our present for Harry?"

Ron smiled widely. "Yes."

"Right. Good-bye then, Harry!" George replied, shaking Harry's hand over the table.

"Don't do anything we wouldn't do," Fred said, winking and slapping Harry on the back.

The twins waved good-bye to everyone else and walked out the kitchen door.

"If everyone is finished here, shall we head to the drawing room?" Remus asked, glancing around the table.

"Yes, everyone upstairs," Mrs. Weasley said, standing up and shooing everyone to the door. "I'll clean this up later."

"Come on, Harry!" Ron exclaimed, grabbing Harry's arm.

Harry stumbled along as Ron pulled him up the stairs and into the drawing room. Harry's eyes widened as he saw that this room had even more decorations than the kitchen had. Ron pushed Harry into one of the armchairs and sat down in a chair to Harry's right. Everyone else followed them in and settled themselves into chairs around the room. They all seemed to be waiting for Harry to do something. He glanced nervously around the room, not sure what to do.

"Well, Harry," Tonks said, grinning and pointing to the left of Harry's chair. "Get on with it."

Harry's gaze followed Tonks's pointed finger. To his left was a pile of birthday presents.

"Yes, Harry," Hermione said excitedly. "Go on."

Harry grinned and dove for the presents beside his chair. He plowed his way through them quickly. He got an assortment of chocolates and candies from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Remus had given Harry a brass doorknocker with the head of a lion to replace the Black's serpent one. He got the latest album from the music group, Knights without Armour, from Tonks. Of course, Hermione had given him a book.

Harry looked at the cover: _Basic Principles and Preparation Techniques for Auror Training_. Harry grinned.

"Thanks Hermione. It's brilliant," he said honestly.

To Mrs. Weasley's dismay, Ron had given Harry an assortment of Skiving Snackboxes from Fred and George's joke shop. They included Puking Pastilles, Fainting Fancies, and, one of their newest inventions, Rampaging Rashes. According to Ron, Rampaging Rashes caused sickle-sized bumps to pop up all over the skin, and if left long enough, would actually jump to another person's skin.

Harry picked up the last present, which was from Ginny. He looked over at her and smiled. He didn't usually exchange gifts with her, but knew that their friendship had grown much stronger since the end of the school term.

Ginny smiled at Harry weakly. She had pulled her knees into her chest and was looking at Harry nervously.

Harry turned to the present, his curiosity piqued by her behaviour. He tore the paper off and saw that it was a picture frame. He turned it over and looked at the photograph she had inserted. Grinning up at him was Sirius with his arm draped casually over Harry's shoulder. Harry had completely forgotten about posing for this picture. It had been Christmas last year. Sirius had been walking through the house singing Christmas carols, thrilled at having everyone there for the holiday. It was one of Harry's happiest memories with Sirius.

A huge lump formed in Harry's throat as he stared at the picture. He looked over at Ginny, who was still looking at him apprehensively. She was obviously worried that he didn't like the gift.

"Ginny…" he said gruffly, having trouble getting his voice to work. She stared at him. "Ginny…it's perfect."

Ginny's face broke into a relieved smile. "Really?"

Harry smiled and nodded. He glanced around the room and noticed everyone craning their necks to try and see what Ginny had given him. Evidently, she hadn't shown it to anyone else.

"It's a picture of Sirius and me," Harry said, holding the picture up. "From last Christmas."

Harry smiled at Ginny, who grinned back shyly.

"Well," Mr. Weasley said, clapping his hands together. "That just leaves one present left."

Harry looked at Mr. Weasley confused, knowing that Ginny's was the last present from the pile.

Ron stood up, faced Harry, and pulled out several small pieces of paper from his back pocket. Ron cleared his throat and read from a piece of parchment. "On behalf of Fred and George, I would like to invite you to a day of fun and games. No cleaning. No Occlumency. Just pure, outlandish, ridiculous fun."

Harry stared at Ron blankly. Ron grinned and shoved one of the pieces of paper into Harry's hand. It read:

_Admit one_

_Day Pass_

_Starlight Amusement Centre_

Rides - unlimited 

Harry's mouth dropped open. "Starlight Amusement Centre?"

Ron nodded excitedly. "It's a Muggle amusement park. They've got all kinds of weird things called rolly coasties. Fred and George have told us all about them."

"_Roller coasters_," Harry said smiling widely, his heart pounding with excitement. "Are you serious? We're going?"

Harry looked around the room and saw one smiling face after another, until he met Mrs. Weasley's face. She was sitting and staring at the floor with her arms crossed. The smile faded from Harry's face.

"Mrs. Weasley?" Harry said tentatively.

Mrs. Weasley brought her eyes up to Harry's momentarily. They were filled with worry. She returned her gaze to the floor.

"Yes, Harry. You're really going."

Harry stared at Mrs. Weasley. Mr. Weasley walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be fine, Molly," he reassured her. She nodded slightly.

"Okay, Harry. We need to go over a few things before we go," Remus said seriously.

Harry nodded. "Okay."

"We want the four of you to have fun, first and foremost," Remus said, nodding his head toward Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. "However, we still need to take precautions."

"Remus and I will be shadowing you throughout the day," Tonks continued, very business-like. "You shouldn't even notice us, but keep in mind that we're there."

"Moody and I will be making continuous rounds of the park," Mr. Weasley added. "If we notice anything suspicious, we'll be by to collect you and bring you home immediately. We'll each be carrying an emergency Portkey."

Harry swallowed and nodded. His excitement was fading as a sense of foreboding overtook him.

Remus seemed to notice the change in Harry. "Harry, we wouldn't have agreed to this if we had any reason to believe it wasn't safe."

Harry nodded and glanced at his friends. They seemed to be holding their breaths, waiting for his response. Harry looked down at the ticket in his hand. _A day away from Grimmauld Place with my friends_. The excitement started to build again.

"When do we leave?" Harry asked grinning.

"Straight away," Mr. Weasley said. "All right everyone, time to get ready."

Harry gathered up his birthday presents and followed Ron to their bedroom. He tossed everything on his bed and turned to Ron.

"I can't believe it!"

Ron grinned. "Believe it, mate! When Fred and George told me their idea, I thought there was no way we'd ever be able to go."

"How did you manage it?" Harry asked.

"Well, it took a bit of time. Of course, Fred and George told Ginny and me about it first, and well, we thought it was bloody brilliant! When we told Hermione, she was skeptical, at first. But once Remus agreed to it, she was better."

"How did you convince Remus?"

"He was actually pretty good about it. When we asked him, Fred and George were able to give a lot of details. They've gone there a few times since they left school, so they knew how big the place was and how many people are usually there. Remus had a lot of questions, but Fred and George were prepared."

"Wow. I really owe them one," Harry said, once again amazed at the twins' abilities. "What about your parents?"

"Well, obviously Mum's still not too keen on the idea," Ron said ruefully. "But, you know my dad. All we had to say was 'Muggle games' and it was a done deal. Of course, then Mum knew she wasn't going to win the argument."

Harry nodded thoughtfully. "I wish your mum didn't worry so much."

"Yeah, it's a bit of a drag," Ron replied, looking at his reflection in the mirror. He ran his fingers through his hair distractedly. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah," Harry said, pulling on his shoes and grinning. He followed Ron downstairs where Remus and Tonks were waiting. They were both dressed in jeans and t-shirts, trying their best to look like Muggles. Hermione and Ginny came down a few moments later, also dressed in Muggle attire. Mr. Weasley, however, had to be sent back to his bedroom three times, as he had more difficulty with the nuances of Muggle clothing.

"Honestly, Dad, you're hopeless!" Ginny exclaimed, pulling Mr. Weasley up the stairs after his third attempt. He was wearing a kilt and a bright flowered shirt with ruffles.

Ginny and Mr. Weasley returned, having found Mr. Weasley a pair of tan pants and a blue shirt. Mr. Weasley grinned sheepishly.

"Are you on your way, then?" Mrs. Weasley asked from the doorway leading to the kitchen. Worry was etching new lines on her face.

"Yes, I believe we're all set," Mr. Weasley answered, walking over to her and embracing her. "We'll be fine, Molly."

Mrs. Weasley forced herself to smile. "Have fun kids, and Harry, happy birthday."

Harry smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

Remus tapped the door with his wand and the numerous locks and chains unlocked themselves. The group followed Remus through the door and stood on the front steps, blinking in the bright sunshine. Most of them had been locked inside the house for several weeks, and the brightness was a startling contrast to the dark house.

With the help of Harry and Hermione, the group traveled on a series of underground trains. As usual, Mr. Weasley was bursting with excitement.

"Simply fabulous!" he beamed, as they stepped off the last train, and he turned to watch it leave. He turned back to the group. "All right. I'll go on ahead, and the rest of you follow in a few minutes."

They watched Mr. Weasley walk away and up the stairs leading to the street above. The amusement park was only a short walk away.

Ten minutes later, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were walking through the front gates, their eyes wide in amazement. Harry had seen amusement parks on Muggle television, but he had never been to one. He could not believe the size of the place, the height of the rides, or the number of people that were there.

"I can't believe the stuff that Muggles come up with!" Ron exclaimed, his eyes scanning everything in sight.

"I'd have to agree with you, Ron," Hermione said, arching an eyebrow. "It's amazing that people go through all this trouble just to scare themselves silly." Even though Hermione was Muggle-born, it was clear that amusement parks were not her thing.

"You're not scared of the rides, are you Hermione?" Harry teased.

Hermione flushed slightly. "Of course not."

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Ginny asked grinning. "Let's go!" She looped her arm through Hermione's and marched off to pick out a ride. She stopped in front of the roller coaster that seemed to have the longest line of people waiting to get on.

"This one must be good. Look at all the people!" Ginny said excitedly, pulling Hermione with her to stand in line. Ron and Harry had followed them, grinning at the look of horror on Hermione's face. She was staring up at the twisted track of the roller coaster, watching the cars speed by and listening to the people scream as the cars went through a series of loops.

Hermione returned her gaze to her friends, her face slightly pale. "Looks great," she said weakly.

They watched the ride go through several times before it was their turn to get on. They were seated in pairs: Ginny with Hermione and Harry with Ron. The ride operator came by to check that they were strapped in properly.

"Harry," Ron said, his voice cracking slightly. "This is safe, right?"

Harry grinned at his friend "_You're_ not scared, are you?"

Ron shot Harry a quick glance, and then gripped the front of their car as it jerked into motion. They began a slow ascent, taking them high into the sky. The cars eventually leveled out, and then stopped. Harry and Ron looked at each other and then screamed as the car jerked forward and plunged down along the track. Harry was amazed at the speed of the ride. He screamed and laughed as the ride took them upside down and up and down. He felt alive as the sun shone on his face and the warm wind whipped through his hair. In no time at all, the cars were slowing down to let the passengers off on the platform.

Ron and Harry jumped out, grinning from ear to ear.

"That was brilliant!" Ron exclaimed.

Ginny and Hermione emerged from the car in front of them. Ginny's face was flushed and her eyes were sparkling. Hermione laughed softly. "I have to admit…that wasn't that bad."

Ginny nudged her, laughing, "You had your eyes shut the entire time!"

Hermione shrugged.

"Come on," Harry said. "Let's go try another one."

And so they went from ride to ride, making sure to try the highest and fastest rides they could find. They laughed and teased each other, completely carefree. Harry could not remember ever having so much fun.

"Thanks again," Harry said smiling at his friends several hours later. "I don't think I could have had a better day."

Ron grinned. "No need to thank us, mate. We're having just as much fun as you."

Hermione reached over and squeezed Harry's hand. "It's so great to see you having fun, Harry."

Harry grinned, feeling like nothing could ruin this day. "Should we get something to eat?"

"Good idea!" Ron said, rubbing his stomach. "I'm starving!"

"Honestly, Ron," Hermione said rolling her eyes. "Is there ever a time when you're not starving?"

Ron grinned. "No. Not really."

They walked over to a section of the park where several food vendors had shops set up. After choosing from a selection of greasy food, they sat down at a table shaded by a large tree. They sat down, famished from the day's activities so far.

"I think we should wait a bit before going back on any rides," Hermione said after cleaning off her plate.

"I agree," Harry said, patting his full stomach.

"Whashuwedoo?" Ron asked, still plowing his way through the food on his plate.

Hermione wrinkled her nose at Ron. "Must you be so disgusting?"

Ron stared at her. "Wha d'I do?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. Ginny caught Harry's eye and turned away to stifle her giggle.

"We could walk through the games section," Harry said, answering what he thought to be Ron's question.

"What kind of games?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, probably darts. Ring toss. That sort of thing," Harry replied.

Ron and Ginny stared at him blankly.

Harry laughed. "Why don't we go check them out?"

Ron patted his belly. "Sounds good."

They walked through the games, stopping every now and then to give one a try. Ginny had been particularly good at popping balloons with darts, winning herself a fairly large stuffed toy. She chose a bright green dragon and immediately named it Norbert.

Ron had laughed hysterically at a game where he had to shoot a jet of water into the mouth of a clown so that the clown's hat would race up a pole. He tried five times and never won, but continued laughing at the absurdity of the game.

The sun had set, and a slight chill crept into the air. Ginny had suggested they try a few more rides before they headed to the park where they were to meet up with Remus and Tonks.

"Okay, but I don't think I'm up for another roller coaster," Hermione said apprehensively.

"How about that big round thing?" Ginny said, pointing over Hermione's shoulder.

"The Ferris Wheel? Sure," Hermione said, grabbing Ron's hand and leading him over to the ride.

Ginny grinned at Harry as they followed Ron and Hermione to the ride. Harry and Ginny waited as Ron and Hermione settled into their seats. Then the huge wheel turned, lowering an empty seat for Harry and Ginny to climb into. Harry noticed the ride operator's eyes pause on Harry's scar as he fastened the lock on their seat. He was used to wizards staring at his scar and thought it odd for a Muggle, but brushed it off.

The wheel turned and stopped again, letting on more passengers. Finally, the wheel began its constant turn, raising Harry and Ginny to the top of the huge wheel.

"It's beautiful up here," Ginny breathed, taking in the view.

Harry nodded. All of the rides were now lit up as the darkening sky enveloped them. The city lights stretched away on all sides of the park, sparkling brightly. Harry felt Ginny shiver beside him.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

Ginny, who still held her stuffed dragon in her arms, grinned. "Too bad Norbert's not a real dragon. He could light a little fire for us."

Harry smiled at her, noticing how the lights of the park seemed to dance in her eyes. "I could warm you up."

Ginny's mouth dropped open and her eyebrows rose.

Harry, realizing what he just said, felt his cheeks burning. "I mean… I didn't mean..." he stammered.

Ginny's eyes sparkled. "Mr. Potter, I do believe you are blushing!" she teased.

Harry swallowed hard, searching frantically for something to say.

"Don't worry, Harry," Ginny said smiling. "I know you didn't mean anything by it." She lifted his arm that was nearest her and placed it around her shoulders. She snuggled into him and said, "I am quite cold, though."

Harry relaxed back in his seat, glad that Ginny had not taken what he said the wrong way.

"Did you have fun today, Harry?" Ginny asked, staring out over the lights glittering below.

"Couldn't you tell?" he asked, grinning.

She smiled. "As soon as Fred and George suggested this, I just knew we had to find a way to make it work."

"I don't think I'll ever be able to thank them enough," Harry said.

They sat silent for the rest of the ride. Harry enjoyed the peacefulness of the ride. It was a good way to end the day.

When Harry and Ginny stepped off the ride, they found Ron and Hermione waiting for them. They were both smiling at them quizzically.

"What?" Harry asked, as Ron and Hermione continued staring at Ginny and him.

"You two looked awfully cozy on that ride," Hermione said, grinning.

Harry stuck his hands in his pockets and looked at Ginny.

"Oh honestly!" Ginny said. "First of all, I was freezing up there. Second of all, you seem to be forgetting about Dean – my boyfriend!"

"Right," Ron said, unconvinced.

"Just because you're a complete idiot, Ron, does not mean that Harry doesn't know how to be a gentleman!" Ginny retorted. To prove her point, Ginny slipped her arm through Harry's arm, and marched away from Ron and Hermione.

Harry looked back at Ron and Hermione and shrugged his shoulders as Ginny steered him through the crowd. Ginny led them to a large grassed area where people seemed to be gathering.

"What's going on?" Ron asked, glancing at the crowd. "Why is everyone standing around?"

"They're here to watch the fireworks," Hermione said knowingly.

"Fireworks?" Ron asked, smiling.

"Yes, the park puts on a fireworks display every night.'' Hermione answered. "Of course, they're not much compared to wizarding fireworks, but they are quite pretty."

"Should we stay and watch them?" Ginny asked.

"I don't see why not," came Remus's voice from behind them.

They turned around to see Remus and Tonks smiling at them.

"Why don't we find a place to sit down?" Remus continued. "That is, if the four of you aren't too embarrassed to be seen with us old folks."

"Who are you calling old?" Tonks asked grinning. "Come on, I see a good spot."

She led the group to an open area, not too far from the walkway leading out of the park. "Have a seat," she said to Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny. She turned to Remus and said, "Arthur and Moody should be able to see us from here."

Remus nodded and looked around. His eyes met Harry's. "Enjoy your day?" Remus asked.

Harry smiled. "It was excellent."

"I'm glad," Remus replied, smiling. "Go on Harry. Sit down. The fireworks should start shortly."

Harry turned and sat down on the grass with Ginny, Hermione, and Ron. The grass was cold and Harry could feel the dampness of the night on it. He noticed how close Ron and Hermione were sitting and thought about making a remark to get back at them for what they had said earlier. However, something told him not to say anything.

He looked at Ginny, who was sitting cross-legged with her arms wrapped tightly around Norbert. She was shivering. He slid closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders, rubbing his hand up and down her arm to warm her up.

"Thanks, Harry," she said smiling, and then shooting a glare at Ron. However, her look was lost on Ron as he was listening intently to something Hermione was saying. Ginny grinned at Harry. "Look who's getting cozy now," she whispered.

Harry smiled, although he felt slightly odd at the sight of his two best friends.

"I hope it's not too much longer," Ginny said, still shivering. "I really should have brought a sweater."

"We don't have to stay." Harry said.

"Yes we do," Ginny insisted grinning and nudging Harry in the ribs. "What's a birthday without some fireworks?"

Harry could have sworn his stomach just did a back flip, but he pushed the feeling away. _I've been on one too many roller coasters_, he thought, shaking his head.

A loud popping noise made Harry and Ginny jump. They both looked up and saw a single red firework spread itself across the sky. It was soon followed by a series of blue, white, and green bursts as the fireworks lit up the sky. It was true, these fireworks didn't compare to wizarding fireworks, but everyone enjoyed them nevertheless. They gazed at the sky, watching the bursts of light explode, and then fade like raindrops to the ground. After several minutes, the fireworks ended with a rapid succession of brilliant bursts, earning applause from the crowd.

Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione pushed themselves off the ground and turned to Remus and Tonks.

Tonks grinned. "That was beautiful!"

Remus nodded. "Not bad for M—"

CRACK! 

Harry's eardrums felt like they had burst. He felt the ground shake under his feet.

CRACK! 

Harry's hands flew to his ears and he looked around frantically, trying to find the source of the noise. Harry's eyes widened as he saw flames leap into the sky from the other side of the park.

CRACK! 

Another deafening explosion filled the air. People were screaming and running in all directions.

"Get down!" Remus yelled, pushing on Harry and Ginny, as Tonks pushed Ron and Hermione to the ground.

Harry threw himself on top of Ginny, shielding her from the stampede of people running from the park. Harry looked up and tried to see through the haze of dust and smoke that was forming. There were people everywhere. Most were running toward the park entrance. Others seemed frozen in shock, clinging to their loved ones in horror. Harry turned his head and saw Remus and Tonks squatting nearby, their wands drawn and their eyes scanning the area around them.

Remus ran over to Harry and Ginny. "Quickly! Get up! We'll use the Portkey!"

Harry pushed himself up and pulled Ginny to her feet. He looked at Ron and Hermione. Ron's face was white and his eyes were wide with shock. Hermione's eyes were glistening and she was clutching Ron's arm.

CRACK! 

The explosions were getting closer.

BANG! 

A bright emerald green light burst from the other side of the park. They turned to look at it and stared, as the light seemed to be forming itself into letters. The figures gracefully rose into the sky.

Harry heard Ginny gasp beside him. His heart stopped. He wasn't breathing. He couldn't move.

In bright green letters, flanked on its sides by the Dark Mark, was a message: _HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARRY_

A/N: Thanks to my amazing beta, TheGiantSquid, for putting up with my same mistakes over and over again! You rock!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Alone

Harry woke up in his bed, fully dressed in his clothes from the day before. When he looked around the room, he saw that Ron had fallen asleep sitting upright on his bed, leaning against the wall. Hermione had fallen asleep on Ron's shoulder, and Ginny was curled up like a cat at the foot of Ron's bed. Harry crawled out of bed and left the bedroom quietly in search of answers.

Harry walked into the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley and Remus were sitting at the table, hands clasped around their coffee cups. Mrs. Weasley's eyes were glossy and red-rimmed, and worry lines creased her forehead. Remus's face was drawn, and he looked worse off than he did after a full moon.

"What happened?" Harry asked, massaging his forehead as he sat down at the kitchen table.

Remus studied Harry sadly and asked, "What do you remember Harry?"

Harry put his elbows on the table and placed his head in his hands. He struggled to organize the pictures flashing through his head: the delicious breakfast, the pile of presents, the roller coasters, the Ferris Wheel, the fireworks…

Harry's stomach clenched.

"The Dark Mark," Harry said quietly, a feeling of nausea rising from the pit of his stomach. Harry looked up at Remus. "I don't remember anything after that."

Remus nodded slowly. "We weren't sure what you would remember. We couldn't communicate with you at all and then suddenly you fell to the ground, holding your head. We managed to get you to the Portkey location, and when we arrived back here, you had passed out."

Harry swallowed hard; he did not remember anything that Remus had described. "Why don't I remember any of that?"

Remus shrugged sadly. "I'm not sure Harry. If I were to guess, I would say you were in shock. That, and the fact that your head probably felt like it was exploding prevented you from remembering anything."

Harry closed his eyes. Flashes of people running and screaming rushed through his mind. Harry felt the terror that he was sure he had felt the night before spread through him.

"Is everyone okay?" Harry asked, raising his eyes to Remus.

Remus and Mrs. Weasley glanced at each other. Mrs. Weasley's bottom lip quivered as Remus spoke hesitantly.

"We don't have confirmation yet, but we think there may have been some Muggle casualties."

Harry put his head in his hands. His eyes burned as he thought of the hundreds of people that had been out for a day in the park. Innocent and happy people, whose lives would be forever changed. Harry was horrified.

"Do you know who did it?" Harry asked, his voice straining.

Remus shook his head. "No. Whoever it was came and went quickly. Arthur and Moody could find no trace of anyone. The Ministry has taken over the investigation."

Tonks walked into the kitchen carrying several newspapers, oblivious to the strained atmosphere of the room.

"Front page on every one," she said tossing the newspapers on the table. "The Muggle newspapers and the_ Daily Prophet_. The story is everywhere."

Harry moved his eyes to the newspaper on top of the pile. The_ Daily Prophet_ had captured the glittering green message. Harry pulled the paper towards him. The caption under the picture read: _The Dark Mark Returns: 3 muggles killed, dozens injured_.

Harry felt sick.

Tonks put her arm around Harry and gave him a tight squeeze. "All right, Harry?"

Harry knew that the last thing he felt was all right. The gravity of the situation weighed on him and the message in the sky haunted him. _If I hadn't been there…_

Harry pushed Tonks away and stood up. "I want to be alone."

Tonks flinched slightly and took a step backward in surprise.

Remus stood, his face filled with concern. "Harry?"

Harry's eyes burned and a huge lump formed in his throat. "Just leave me alone."

Harry turned and left the kitchen, leaving Remus, Tonks, and Mrs. Weasley staring silently after him.

Harry returned to his bedroom and found his friends still fast asleep. He felt a pain in his chest when he realized any one of them could have been injured or killed the night before.

Harry threw himself down on his bed and stared at the ceiling. _No matter where I go, I put people in danger_.

He thought again of the Muggles that were killed and injured as a result of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Harry felt sick as he realized Voldemort did not care who was killed.

Harry pushed himself up on his bed and looked at his friends. As he stared at them he made a vow to himself. _I will never put them in danger again_.

Harry knew what he had to do. He got off his bed and began gathering his belongings. He moved as quietly as he could, loading his trunk. If his plan was going to work, he would have to distance himself from everyone he cared about.

"Harry?"

Harry threw the pile of clothes he was holding into his trunk and turned around. Ginny had pushed herself up on one arm and was rubbing her eyes with the other.

"Go back to sleep, Ginny," Harry said, turning away from her.

Ginny stood up, walked over to Harry, and put her arms around him. "I'm so glad you're okay. Last night was so scary."

Harry pushed Ginny away forcefully. "Don't worry about me."

Ginny stared at him as her brown eyes filled with hurt and shock.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, I don't know, Ginny," Harry said sarcastically. "I got three Muggles killed as a birthday present from Voldemort. What could be wrong?"

Ginny took a moment to absorb Harry's harsh words. Her eyes shone brightly with tears.

"Three Muggles were killed?" Ginny whispered. She put her hand on Harry's arm. "But Harry, it's not your fault."

Harry shrugged her hand off his arm. "If I hadn't been there, they wouldn't have been killed."

Ginny shook her head, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. "No, Harry. Don't blame yourself."

"Don't tell me what to do," Harry said quietly, turning his back on her again. Ginny stood frozen, shocked from the previous night's events, and now, by Harry's coldness.

Harry continued packing his things. With a stab of guilt, he picked up the pile of birthday presents from the foot of his bed. He paused to look down at the picture Ginny had given him. His eyes began to burn and his throat tightened as he watched Sirius's smiling face. _I'm not going to give any one else to Voldemort_, Harry told himself resolutely. _No matter what I have to do_. He placed the presents in his trunk and closed the lid.

Ron stirred slightly, causing Hermione to wake up. She blinked her eyes several times, trying to get the room into focus. She looked at Harry, who was pulling his trunk towards the door, and then noticed Ginny's tear-stained face.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked, sitting up straight.

Ginny stood staring at the floor as Harry continued pulling his trunk to the door.

Hermione stood up. "Where are you going, Harry?"

He dropped the end of the trunk to the floor and glared at Hermione. "You've got to get your nose into everything, don't you?" he spat.

Hermione looked as though she had been kicked in the stomach. She looked at Harry confusedly, her eyes shining brightly.

Harry swallowed hard, fighting to ignore his feelings of guilt as well as the pain in Hermione's eyes.

"If you must know," he muttered, "I'm moving into Sirius's old bedroom."

Hermione stared at him. "Why?"

Ron stirred again on his bed.

"To get away from you," Harry snapped. He then nodded his head toward Ginny and Ron. "I'm sick of being coddled by all of you. I just want to be left alone," Harry said, picking up the end of his trunk.

"But Harry --" Hermione began, taking a step toward Harry.

"Shut up, Hermione! Can't you ever just shut up?" Harry yelled, his eyes flashing.

Hermione's mouth fell open. Tears began streaming down her cheeks.

Ron yawned widely. "Who's yelling?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

Harry scowled, pulled his trunk through the doorway, and slammed the door.

Ron stared open-mouthed at the closed door, as Hermione and Ginny stood still, crying silently.

* * *

Three days went by filled with strained silences and angry outbursts. Harry spent his days and nights in his new bedroom, shutting out the world and attacking anyone who dared venture in.

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny had tried to visit Harry on several occasions. At times, they just attempted to make small talk; at others, they pleaded with him to talk to them. On every occasion, Harry had yelled and insulted them.

Remus had made several attempts to talk to Harry as well. He had tried to both comfort Harry and admonish him for his behaviour, but Harry had pushed him even farther away, feeling unworthy of the care that Remus was showing him, and guilty for the pain he was causing Remus. Each time, however, Harry reassured himself that he was doing the right thing.

When he wasn't hurting the people he cared about, Harry tortured himself with his thoughts. _If I hadn't gone, no one would have been hurt…It could have been Remus, or Tonks, or my friends…It should have been me, not innocent Muggles…No one is safe if they're with me…I'm the one _he_ wants…I fell into the trap that killed Sirius…Why was I so stupid to think I could have a _normal _day…It's better when I'm alone…No one can get hurt if I'm alone…_

Harry was lying on his bed, trying to convince himself that the words he had lashed at Remus that morning were justified, when there was a knock on the door.

"Go away!" Harry growled.

To his annoyance, he heard the doorknob turn. He sat up on his bed and scowled at the door.

Hermione pushed the door open, followed by Ginny and Ron, each carrying a tray of sandwiches and a pitcher of pumpkin juice and drinking glasses.

"We thought we would have lunch with you, Harry," Hermione said, forcing her voice to sound cheerful as she walked across the room to a table to the left of Harry's bed.

Harry glared at them. "Well, you thought wrong," Harry snarled, crossing his arms across his chest.

Hermione's eyes flickered slightly, but then she continued, pretending she hadn't heard him. "Come on, Harry. You must be hungry."

Harry's eyes flashed dangerously. "Get out," he said quietly.

Hermione stood with her hands on her hips and stared at Harry. Then she turned, took the tray from Ginny's hands, and placed the sandwiches on the table. "Ron, can you please put the juice on the table here?" Hermione continued.

Ron hesitated, looking from Harry to Hermione.

Harry stood up, glaring furiously at Hermione. "I asked you to leave."

Ron looked from Harry to Hermione again, and then set the tray on the table. He took a few steps toward Harry, and crossed his arms. "We're not leaving."

Harry began shaking as the anger welled up inside him. "I don't want you here!" he yelled. "Get out and leave me alone!"

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stood still, standing their ground.

Hermione took a step towards Harry, and then stopped. "Harry, we're your friends. We care about you. We can't stand to see you hurting like this. We want to help you," Hermione pleaded, her eyes shining brightly.

"I don't need any help," Harry snarled. "When will you get it through your thick heads that I don't want you here? I DON'T NEED YOU!"

Harry stood glaring at his friends, clenching his fists in anger. Suddenly, Ginny marched over and slapped Harry hard across the face.

Harry stared at her in shock and raised his hand to his stinging cheek.

"Stop being so selfish!" Ginny yelled, her face bright red and her eyes flashing.

Harry stared at her, his mouth gaping. "Selfish?"

"Have you ever stopped to consider what _we_ need, Harry?" Ginny retorted. "You may not need us, but we need you," she continued quietly.

Harry scoffed. "You don't need me. You're better off without me."

"We know what you're trying to do, Harry," Ginny began, her voice growing stronger as she spoke. "You're pushing us away. You think we'll be safer from You-Know-Who if you're not friends with us anymore. You feel guilty for everything he does. But Harry, _he_ is the one having people killed, not you. Don't be so arrogant to think that you are his only target, Harry."

Ginny's words stung Harry, causing his anger to rise. He fought hard to keep his voice steady. "I'm not being arrogant, Ginny. Voldemort wants me dead. Don't talk about things you don't understand."

Ginny was taken aback. She swallowed hard, fighting back tears. "Well, let me tell you what I do understand, Harry," she said quietly. "I know that you are in danger. I know that we put ourselves in danger by being your friend, and I know you only want to protect us. You can act like you don't care, you can push us away, but we're not going to leave you, Harry. You're stuck with us whether you like it or not. Now, you can keep fighting us, or you can let us in. You have yelled at us and insulted us, but we're still here. We care about you, Harry, and we will do anything for you."

Harry stared at Ginny as a single tear rolled down her cheek. His heart felt like it was breaking and his throat tightened as he looked at Ron and Hermione, their faces filled with the pain he knew he had caused them.

He stared at the floor and cleared his throat. "I can't let you risk your lives for me again."

"You don't have a choice," Ginny said strongly.

Harry looked into Ginny's eyes and saw her determination.

Hermione walked over and slipped her hand into Harry's. "Like Ginny said, you're stuck with us, Harry."

Harry looked at Ron, hoping to reason with him. However, Ron cleared his throat and said determinedly, "We've been through too much together, mate. We're not going to let you push us away. We will always be by your side, through everything."

Harry felt himself losing control of the situation. He sensed he was beginning to lose the battle. He shook his head. "No…I can't ask you to do that," he said staring at the floor.

Ginny placed her hand on Harry's arm. "You're not asking us to do anything…we're telling you how it is."

Harry pulled himself free from both girls and sat on the edge of his bed. He rested his head in his hands as he leaned his elbows on his knees.

"Why?" Harry asked, his voice cracking slightly. "Why would you still want to be my friend?"

Hermione sat on the bed beside him, resting her hand on Harry's back as she spoke. "You're a good person, Harry. You don't give yourself enough credit. We're proud to be your friends. Nothing will ever change that."

Harry shook his head in his hands. "But I was so awful." Harry raised his eyes to look at Hermione. "How could you ever forgive me for the things I said to you?"

Hermione frowned at Harry. "I won't lie to you, Harry. You really hurt me. But I know you did it because you wanted to protect me. You thought if you hurt me badly enough, I would leave you alone and hate you. Then, in your mind, I would be safe." She paused and shook her head. "Terrible reasoning if you ask me."

Harry took Hermione's hand and squeezed it. "I am really sorry, Hermione. You _should_ hate me," Harry said quietly. Then he smiled slightly. "But I'm really glad you don't."

Hermione burst into tears and threw her arms around Harry. "Harry, I could never hate you!"

Harry hugged his friend, thankful despite himself to have her back. As Hermione released him, Harry turned to Ron and Ginny.

"I owe both of you an apology as well," Harry said standing up. "I'm sorry for being such an idiot."

Ron shrugged. "Well, at least you'll admit it." Harry grinned.

Ginny walked over and gave Harry a quick hug. She moved her hands to either side of his head and tilted his head down so that they were nearly nose to nose.

Ginny stared into Harry's eyes. "I swear, Harry, if you do this again, I'll hex you so bad that St. Mungo's will never get you right again."

Harry stared into her eyes and grinned. "I have no doubt that you could and would."

Ginny smiled and dropped her hands down to her side. "Sorry I slapped you. Too bad I didn't have my wand on me this time."

Harry laughed. "I'm glad you didn't. You can save your Bat Bogey Hex for Malfoy."

"That was really brilliant, but can we eat now? I'm starving!" Ron whined.

Harry laughed as Hermione and Ginny rolled their eyes and walked over to the table. He sat down with his friends, grabbed a sandwich, and wondered how he ever thought life would be better without them.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - Letters from Fudge

Harry spent the next few days seeking out different members of the household to apologize for the way he had been acting. Even though everyone had immediately forgiven him, Harry continued to feel awful for his behaviour. He had treated the most important people in his life horribly. He felt even guiltier when he had seen how much work was done on the house during his three-day refuge in his bedroom.

It was truly amazing how the house had been transformed. The wooden floors gleamed and the chandeliers sparkled. Mrs. Weasley and Remus had gone outside one night and used a very powerful Scouring Charm to clean off the years of grime on the windows. Harry had been quite surprised to wake up one morning to find the sun shining on his face.

Harry decided to stay in Sirius's old bedroom. He rather enjoyed the large, four-poster bed, compared to the small bed he had in the bedroom he shared with Ron. The bedroom also had a small rectangular table with four chairs next to a large picture window. On the wall opposite the bed was a writing desk and a large armchair. The room had everything Harry needed, whether he wanted to read, get a start on his summer homework, or just spend time alone. He finally had a bedroom he felt was _his._

Harry yawned and stretched his arms and legs. He felt exhausted; he had spent the previous afternoon working in the drawing room with Mrs. Weasley, Remus, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Mrs. Weasley believed she had found a spell that would counteract the Permanent Sticking Charm that Sirius's mother had placed on the tapestry in the drawing room. Mrs. Weasley and Remus had cast the spell together, while Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny pulled on the tapestry. They had eventually been successful in removing the tapestry from the wall. However, the tapestry had then thrown itself at Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, managing to trap Harry and Hermione in its folds. It had taken another hour for Mrs. Weasley and Remus to figure out how to free them, while Ron and Ginny tried to contain their laughter as the tapestry threw Harry and Hermione around the room.

A knock on the door prompted Harry to lift his aching body from the bed.

"Come in," he said groggily, as he sat up and pushed his glasses onto his face.

Mrs. Weasley bustled in, carrying a glass of bright purple liquid.

"How are you feeling, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked, placing a hand on Harry's forehead.

Harry shrugged. "I've felt worse."

Mrs. Weasley pursed her lips together and frowned at Harry. "You've been doing too much. You should rest this morning."

Harry shook his head. "Honestly, Mrs. Weasley, I feel fine. Just a little banged up."

She nodded and handed him the glass. "Drink this, dear. It will take the aches away."

Harry took the glass from her and eyed the purple liquid. He now noticed it was fizzing slightly and smelled extremely sweet. He downed it quickly, knowing from past experiences how awful most potions tasted. Harry felt an odd tingling going through his body, tickling his insides. He shivered and then, just as quickly, the sensation stopped. He could no longer feel any of the bruises he knew were covering his body.

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said. "I feel loads better already."

She looked at him, frowning. "Do you feel well enough for an Occlumency lesson this afternoon? Dumbledore Flooed earlier to say he'd be coming by."

Harry had not had a session with Dumbledore since the day before his birthday. Dumbledore had been doing his own investigation into the fireworks incident and had not been by the house since.

Harry swallowed, wondering if Dumbledore had any new information. The newspapers did not indicate that the Ministry had got any closer to finding out who was behind the attack.

Mrs. Weasley peered into Harry's face. "If you don't feel up to it, you don't have to do it, Harry."

Harry shook his head. "No. It's important. I need the lessons."

Mrs. Weasley looked at Harry sadly. "You've been through so much for someone so young. I wish I could protect you from all that pain," she said quietly.

Harry felt his throat tighten at Mrs. Weasley's words. Mrs. Weasley was the closest thing to a mother that Harry ever had, and her kindness touched him.

"You do more than enough, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said, his voice cracking.

Mrs. Weasley smiled at Harry and have him a warm hug. "Why don't you get dressed and come down for breakfast? Everyone else should be up by now."

Harry watched Mrs. Weasley close his bedroom door behind her. He rolled out of bed and walked over to his wardrobe. He stripped off his pajamas and pulled on his jeans and t-shirt. He combed his hair, pulled on his socks, and went downstairs to the kitchen.

Remus and Tonks were standing at the kitchen counter, spooning scrambled eggs onto plates. Remus seemed to be insisting that he carry the plates to the table instead of Tonks. Ginny was pouring glasses of pumpkin juice at the table, and Hermione was sitting at the table beside Ron. He was fighting off Mrs. Weasley, who was armed with a comb in her hand.

"Honestly, Mum!" Ron exclaimed, batting Mrs. Weasley's arm away. "I think I'm old enough to comb my own hair."

"But it's always such a mess! Just let me run the comb through it," Mrs. Weasley said, trying to come at Ron from another angle.

"No! Go find someone else to fuss over," Ron argued.

Harry grinned as he sat at the table across from Ron and Hermione.

"Morning, Harry," Hermione said, trying to hold back her laughter as Ron batted off Mrs. Weasley yet again.

"Morning, Hermione," Harry said, grinning. "How are you feeling?"

Hermione shrugged. "A lot better after taking Mrs. Weasley's Anti-Aching Ale."

Harry smiled. While he had simply taken the potion Mrs. Weasley had given him, he could just imagine the string of questions Hermione would have had, wanting to learn all about the potion.

"Remus, I'm not completely incompetent," Tonks said. Harry looked over to see Tonks shaking her head and picking up two plates piled with eggs and toast. She walked over to the table and set the plates down in front of Hermione and Ron. "See? No harm done!" Tonks said triumphantly, putting her hands on her hips.

Remus smiled as he placed a plate in front of Harry. "Sorry," he said, winking at Tonks. "I didn't mean to underestimate you."

"Hmph!" Tonks put her nose up in the air and spun on her heel to return to the counter. Unfortunately, Ginny was right behind her.

"Oh!" Tonks cried as she smashed into Ginny.

Ginny fell backwards, her eyes opened wide as the pitcher of pumpkin juice slipped out of her hand. She landed with a thud on the floor as the pitcher smashed beside her, spilling its contents on the floor.

"Oh, Ginny!" Tonks said, rushing to her. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

Mrs. Weasley rushed over and vanished the glass shards and spilled juice from the floor with one sweep of her wand.

"I'm fine," said Ginny, as Tonks and Mrs. Weasley helped her to her feet. "No need to worry."

"Ginny, dear, sit down," Mrs. Weasley said, ushering Ginny to a chair beside Hermione.

Remus walked over and put his arm around Tonks. "Come on. You should sit down as well."

"But -- " Tonks began, turning her head to look at the remaining plates still on the counter.

"Don't worry," Remus said, pulling out the chair beside Harry, "I can get the rest."

Tonks sat down looking bewildered. She looked at Harry. "I'm hopeless."

Harry grinned at her. "No, you're not hopeless. You're just an absolute nightmare in the kitchen."

Tonks stared at Harry, then grinned. "I suppose that leaves Remus to clean up."

Remus raised an eyebrow at Tonks as he set a plate down in front of her. "Is that right?" he asked, sitting beside her.

She slipped her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder. She opened her eyes wide and looked up at him, batting her eyelashes. "You wouldn't want me to get hurt, would you?"

Remus looked down at her and then rolled his eyes. "You're impossible."

Harry grinned as he noticed a smile tugging at the corners of Remus's mouth.

Tonks smiled at Remus, and then straightened herself in her chair. She glanced around the table to see everyone grinning at her.

She flushed slightly, then said, "Well, dig in everyone. There's nothing worse than cold eggs."

Tonks picked up her fork and glanced at Remus from the corner of her eye. She turned to Harry, who was grinning at her madly. She kicked his leg under the table.

Remus cleared his throat. "So, Molly. Do you think we can manage to take care of Mrs. Black today?"

Remus was referring to the life-size portrait of Sirius's mother that was in the front hallway. Everyone had learned to creep silently past the painting, or else suffer the wrath of her screams and insults. They believed her portrait had the same Permanent Sticking Charm as the tapestry in the drawing room. They hoped the spells they had used the previous day would be as effective, minus the attack Harry and Hermione had endured.

Mrs. Weasley smiled at Remus's obvious attempt to shift everyone's focus. "Yes, Remus, I think we should give it a try. I think we've lived with that painting long enough."

Remus nodded. "Indeed." He turned to Tonks and asked, "Since you're not working this morning, maybe you could give us a hand?"

Tonks grinned. "I'd love to get rid of that old nutter. Count me in!"

"What can we do to help?" Hermione asked.

Mrs. Weasley's eyes darted to Harry for a fraction of a second, before she turned her gaze to Hermione. She smiled and replied, "I think the four of you should take the morning off. I'll have some work for you this afternoon."

After everyone had sufficiently cleared off their breakfast plates, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny settled themselves in Harry's bedroom. Harry and Ron sat at the table playing a game of Wizard's Chess. Hermione sat in the armchair reading, while Ginny sat cross-legged on Harry's bed, flipping through one of his Quidditch books. Intermittently, a shrill wail from Mrs. Black filtered up the stairwell, as Mrs. Weasley, Remus, and Tonks attempted to remove the portrait.

Hermione snapped her book shut. "I wish there was something we could do to help. That screaming is really annoying."

"Well, hopefully they'll be successful and we won't have to deal with it ever again," Harry said, surveying the chessboard.

Ginny sighed as she walked over to the window. "I wish we could go outside."

Harry frowned. He looked at Ginny as she stared out the window, her slight frame silhouetted against the bright sky outside. He, too, would give anything to go outside.

Ginny leaned forward, squinting. "Harry, is Hedwig outside?"

Harry stood and walked to the window. "Yeah. She's been out since last night."

"I think that's her," Ginny said pointing into the sky.

Harry followed Ginny's pointed finger. A white speck could be seen against the brilliant blue of the sky. The speck seemed to be getting larger and larger.

"It does look like her," Harry said, opening his window. "It looks like she's carrying something."

They watched Hedwig approach, jealous of her freedom and mesmerized by the graceful batting of her wings as she soared towards them.

Hedwig flew in through the open window and landed gracefully on the table. She held her leg out for Harry, where several envelopes were tied.

"Hermione, can you grab a few owl treats off my desk?" Harry asked as he untied the envelopes. He looked at the envelopes and recognized the writing. "It's our letters from Hogwarts."

Hedwig flew to Hermione, nipped the owl treats from Hermione's open hand, and flew to the top of the wardrobe where she nestled into her cage.

"Well, of course they are," Hermione said walking over to Harry. "It's about time, too. I'm so anxious to get my new book list so I can start reading for my classes."

Harry hid his grin at the exasperated look Ron gave Hermione. He handed out the envelopes and tore open his own, intrigued by the thickness of the envelope.

Harry scanned the first sheet of parchment. It was the usual list of required supplies, and the time and date the students were to board the Hogwarts Express. He turned to the second sheet and saw an official-looking letter from the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.

_Dear student,_

Congratulations on entering another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. On behalf of the Ministry, I would like to send our best wishes to you on a successful year of study.

_As it appears we are entering a dark time, the Ministry would like to assure all parents and students that extra safety measures have been implemented to ensure a safe school year. Several Ministry officials have been assigned to a Security Task Force at the school and additional protective spells have been cast over the Hogwarts School grounds._

_The safety of the students is the Ministry's primary concern. As a result, the Ministry has reserved the right to withdraw student privileges as it sees fit. We hope that such a measure will not be required, but will be invoked if deemed necessary._

In addition, the Ministry feels it is necessary to prepare our youth for the dangers our world faces. In cooperation with the Hogwarts new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, the Ministry has approved a Battle Training course. This course will be held outside of regular school hours so as not to conflict with academic classes. This course is open to all students in fifth year or higher. The Ministry strongly encourages student participation in this course. Enclosed you will find a permission form which must be signed by a parent or guardian, with the exception of students who are already of age.

_The Ministry looks forward to the continued support and cooperation of all Hogwarts students._

_Sincerely,_

_Cornelius Fudge_

_Minister of Magic_

Harry stared at the letter in his had, trying to comprehend all of the information he had just absorbed. He looked up and saw Ron staring at this letter with his mouth gaping. Both Hermione and Ginny frowned as they read their letters.

Ron looked at Harry. "Battle Training?" Ron questioned, his voice cracking.

"Mum is going to have kittens," Ginny said looking up. "She won't like this at all."

"How can he do this?" Hermione asked angrily. "We need to be focusing on our classes!"

Harry studied Hermione.

"I think it's a good idea," Harry said quietly.

"What?" Hermione and Ron said together.

Harry looked at the surprised faces of his friends. He glanced at Ginny who was staring at him intently.

Harry shrugged. "I know that I'm a target. I wouldn't mind getting all the training I can get to fight against Voldemort." He paused and looked at his friends. "It would also make me feel better to know that my friends were prepared as well. You're in danger because you're associated with me. Don't you think surviving is more important than giving up time for homework?"

Hermione squirmed uncomfortably. "But can't we learn what we need to know in our Defense Against the Dark Arts classes? As long as the new teacher is competent, that is. How can Dumbledore allow his school to become a military recruitment centre for the Ministry?"

Harry shook his head. "Dumbledore won't allow the Ministry to change the nature of Hogwarts. I'm sure he will be keeping a close eye on how the course is managed."

Hermione wasn't quite ready to give up. "But, what about O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s? Fifth- and seventh-years have enough to worry about with their exams in June!"

Harry looked at the floor and swallowed hard. "Maybe Fudge doesn't think we have that long."

The room was silent as everyone contemplated Harry's words. Even Mrs. Black's screams from downstairs had been silenced.

"Do you think things will get that bad, Harry?" Ginny asked, her eyes wide.

Harry looked at her sadly. "I think Fudge is worried. Last year, he wouldn't admit that Voldemort was back and did everything in his power to prevent us from improving our defenses. Now, he has completely changed his position. He's scared and he's realizing how much trouble he's in. He's got so many people upset with him, his only hope is to recruit students."

"You're right, Harry," Hermione said, shaking her head. "I wasn't thinking of the whole picture. We don't know what Fudge will do, being as desperate as he is. It's better for us to be prepared for anything."

Everyone was silent for a few moments, wondering what Fudge had got the entire wizarding community into due to his own cowardice.

"Sorry, Hermione," Ron said, frowning slightly. "Could you repeat that first part? I don't think I heard you right."

Hermione looked at Ron, knitting her eyebrows together. She then rolled her eyes and smiled. "I said Harry was right." She shook her head. "Harry was right, I was wrong. Happy now, Ronald?"

Ron closed his eyes and smiled. "Ah, yes!"

Harry laughed as Hermione rolled her eyes again.

"Well, at least I'll be able to cheer Mum up with this," Ginny said, holding up a silver badge with a "P" inscribed on it.

"Oh, Ginny!" Hermione squealed, rushing over and hugging her. "You're a prefect!"

"Well done, Ginny!" Ron said hugging his sister after Hermione had released her. "Mum will be so proud."

Harry walked over and gave Ginny a hug. "Congratulations, Ginny. I'm happy for you."

Ginny smiled ruefully. "Fred and George will be so disappointed. They had such high hopes that I would follow in their footsteps."

Harry and Ron laughed as Hermione clicked her tongue. "Don't let them bother you, Ginny," Hermione said sternly. "It's a privilege to be named prefect. Professor Dumbledore only picks the best students for prefect duty."

"Yeah," Harry said, shaking his head. "You wouldn't want to be lumped together with other scum like me."

Hermione flushed brightly. "Harry...you're not...I didn't mean --"

Harry laughed. "I'm just teasing you, Hermione. Not many people can say their best friends are the best students in their year. My three best friends have all been made prefects; I couldn't be happier."

Hermione and Ron smiled widely. Ginny's eyes shined brightly as she grinned at Harry.

"Well, we should head downstairs and --" Harry began, looking back at the contents of his envelope. "What's this other letter?" he asked, noticing another piece of parchment.

"What other letter?" Ron asked, looking through the papers in his hand and then looking at Harry. "I haven't got another one."

Hermione and Ginny looked through their letters and shook their heads.

Harry returned his eyes to his letter.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_This letter hereby revokes your ban from playing Quidditch, and places you on probation for one year. If there are no further incidents of misconduct, the probation will be lifted at the end of the school year._

_Sincerely,_

_Cornelius Fudge_

Minister of Magic 

Harry felt a grin spread across his face.

"What is it Harry?" Ron asked.

Harry read the letter to his friends.

"I knew it!" said Ron, punching his fist in the air. "I bet it was old McGonagall. She wasn't going to let Umbridge keep you from playing."

"Harry, that's so great!" Hermione said, hugging him hard. "I know how much this means to you."

Harry was elated. He could not wait to get back to Hogwarts and jump on his Firebolt.

"Let's go downstairs and tell everyone, "Ron said, practically running to the door. "This is going to be the best Quidditch season ever!"

Harry laughed at Ron's enthusiasm and began to follow him to the door.

"Harry, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Harry turned and saw Ginny looking at him tentatively. Hermione glanced at Ginny and pushed Ron out the door. "Come on, Ron. We'll see you two downstairs," Hermione said, shutting the door behind her and Ron.

"What's wrong, Ginny?" Harry asked. He swallowed hard, wondering why he was feeling nervous.

She smiled. "Oh, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to ask you something."

Harry swallowed hard again, and shoved his sweaty palms into his back pockets. He cleared his throat. "Shoot."

Ginny bit her lip. "I was just wondering if you meant what you said before," Ginny said, staring at the floor. "When you said your _three_ best friends."

Harry stared at her confused. "Sorry?"

Ginny shifted uncomfortably. "You said your three best friends were made prefects. Not two. Three. Do you really consider me one of your best friends, Harry?"

Harry stared at her. "Of course I do, Ginny."

Ginny shook her head and smiled slightly. "You must think I'm so stupid," Ginny said, embarrassed. "I've always been Ron's little sister, tagging along. Sometimes I wonder if you're sick of me being around."

Harry smiled at her. It had been just he, Ron, and Hermione for so long, he could understand how she might feel like she was intruding or didn't belong.

"First of all, Ginny, I will never think you're stupid. Second, I will never get sick of you…" He paused, staring at her. He continued quietly, "If it wasn't for you, I would probably still be stuck in this bedroom alone, pushing everyone away. You were able to put things into perspective for me when no one else could. I would never want to lose you as a friend, Ginny."

Ginny smiled as a few tears escaped her eyes and slipped down her cheeks. "Thank you, Harry," she whispered. She walked over, rose on her tiptoes, and kissed his cheek. "That really means a lot to me."

Harry smiled down at her and rubbed the tears off her cheek with his thumbs. He stared into her eyes and felt a lump forming in his throat.

"Well, we should head downstairs," Ginny said, turning towards the door, "before Ron starts theorizing about what we're doing up here."

She grinned at Harry and opened the door.

Harry stared after her, watching her red hair sway across her back as she walked. He followed her down the stairs and wondered why his heart was beating so fast, and noticing that his cheek still tingled where Ginny's lips had brushed it.

A/N: Kudos to my fabulous beta, TheGiantSquid! Thank you for making everything so much better!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 – Something Old, Something New 

"Goodbye, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, hugging Harry for the third time.

"'Bye, Mrs. Weasley," Harry replied, patting Mrs. Weasley on the back. She had been sobbing since the night before, and now that they were standing on Platform 9 ¾ , she was nearly hysterical.

"Come, Molly," Mr. Weasley said. "They need to board the train." He pulled gently on his wife's arm. Mrs. Weasley nodded as she let go of Harry. She quickly gave another round of hugs to Ron, Hermione and Ginny, and then turned and sobbed into her husband's chest.

"How embarrassing," Ron muttered under his breath as he turned and walked toward the train.

Harry smiled at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, then turned and followed Ron. He didn't mind Mrs. Weasley's behaviour one bit.

The remainder of summer holidays had flown by for Harry. Dumbledore had resumed their daily sessions of Occlumency, wearing Harry down to his very core. With what strength he had in the mornings, Harry helped with a few final tasks on the house. After Remus, Tonks, and Mrs. Weasley had successfully removed Mrs. Black's portrait, everyone helped to peel off the wallpaper in all the main areas of the house. Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, and Remus would shoot steam from their wands, while Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Harry would scrape the wallpaper off. They had then painted the walls, finishing the last room only two days ago.

In addition to housework and Occlumency lessons, Hermione had convinced Ron, Ginny and Harry to read ahead in their classes. Remus and Mrs. Weasley had made a trip one afternoon to Diagon Alley to pick up everyone's school supplies. Every night since, Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny gathered in the drawing room and read until their eyes would no longer stay open. Harry was looking forward to the return to Hogwarts with hopes that he would actually get some rest.

Harry walked along the platform slowly, enjoying the sunshine on his face. He breathed deeply, finding comfort in the fresh air.

"Hey, Harry!"

Harry turned around and saw Neville Longbottom rushing towards him.

"Hi, Neville," Harry said, smiling at his fellow Gryffindor.

Neville stopped in front of Harry, panting slightly. "Hi, Harry. I'm glad I found you. I wanted to thank you," Neville said smiling.

Harry furrowed his eyebrows together. "What for?"

"I got an 'O' in Defense Against the Dark Arts," Neville said proudly. "I would never have managed it without your help."

Harry grinned as he remembered Neville's progress during the secret meetings that Harry and a group of students had held last year to practice Defense Against the Dark Arts. Neville really had come a long way.

"I'm glad I could help," Harry said smiling.

Hermione walked over and smiled at Neville. "Hi, Neville. Did you have a good summer?"

Neville smiled, "Yeah, it was all right. How about you?"

"It was great," Hermione said smiling and turning to Harry. "Ron, Ginny and I have got to get to the prefect's compartment," Hermione said, glancing at her watch. "Why don't you and Neville find a compartment, and we will join you after our meeting."

"Sure," Harry said, moving towards the end of the train. "Let's go, Neville."

Harry pulled his trunk and Hedwig's cage onto the train and looked for an empty compartment. He sighed and shook his head as he walked by a couple of first year students who pointed at him and whispered his name. How he wished for anonymity.

Harry slid open the door of an empty compartment and stowed his trunk and Hedwig's cage. He flopped down on the seat and closed his eyes.

"You don't look that great, Harry," Neville said, sitting down opposite Harry. "Are you feeling all right?"

Harry opened his eyes and smiled faintly. "I'm just tired." He straightened up in his seat, realizing he should try to be social. "Tell me about your summer, Neville."

Neville shrugged. "It was okay. My grandmother took awhile to get over the fact that I broke my dad's wand, but once she saw my OWL results, she rushed out and got me a new one."

Harry nodded, remembering how Neville had broken his wand helping Harry fight the Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries.

"So you did well on your OWLs then?" Harry asked.

Neville shrugged. "I did pretty well. Good for me, anyway. Let's face it, I'm not going to be replacing Hermione any time soon."

"Not that anyone could," Lavender Brown said rolling her eyes as she stood in the doorway. "Isn't that right, Harry?"

Harry looked at Lavender, confused by what she meant.

She smiled at his confused look. "I'm just saying she's always going to be at the top of our class. You two were talking about your OWLs, weren't you?"

"Er...right," Harry said, glancing at Neville and wondering what Lavender wanted.

Lavender rolled her eyes again. "Listen, is it okay if Parvati and I sit with you two? It's either here or with a bunch of first years, and I don't think my nerves can handle that today."

Harry looked at Neville, who shrugged at Harry. Harry had hardly ever spoke to Lavender or Parvati before, and was quite sure that Neville hadn't either. Even though Parvati had been Harry's escort to the Yule Ball in their fourth year, they hadn't exactly had a stimulating conversation. An entire train ride with Parvati and Lavender could be awkward, but he knew he wouldn't want to sit with first years either.

"Sure," Harry said. "You two can sit in here."

Lavender smiled. "Thanks. I'll go rescue Parvati from those whiny little first years."

Harry turned to Neville, expecting to see him in some kind of panic at the prospect of sitting with the girls. However, Neville was still looking out the door that Lavender had just disappeared from with an amused look on his face. He turned to look at Harry and grinned. "This should be interesting. Do those two do anything but giggle when they're together?"

Harry chuckled. "I guess we'll find out."

Lavender and Parvati entered the compartment pulling their trunks behind them.

"Hi, Neville, Harry, " Parvati said smiling.

Harry smiled, "Hi, Parvati."

Neville stood up. "Let me help you with your trunk, Parvati."

Harry stared at Neville curiously. Something seemed different about him.

Lavender cleared her throat. Harry looked at her and saw her looking at him. She nodded her head toward her trunk with her eyebrows raised.

"Oh!" Harry said, getting out of his seat. "I'll get that for you."

The girls sat down as Harry and Neville struggled with their extremely heavy trunks. They eventually got the trunks stowed, and turned to find Lavender and Parvati giggling and whispering quietly to each other.

Neville raised an eyebrow at Harry, shook his head, and sat down opposite the girls. Harry slouched down in the seat beside Neville, closed his eyes, and rubbed his forehead with the heel of his palm. Dumbledore had worked Harry particularly hard the previous day, and Harry's head was still pounding.

Harry felt the train jerk into motion. He opened his eyes and saw Parvati staring at him. She darted her eyes quickly to the window.

Harry pushed himself up straight in his seat and ran his fingers through his hair distractedly.

"So, Neville," Lavender said, "you were saying you did well on your OWLs?"

Neville shrugged. "I did okay. How about you?"

Lavender smiled. "I was quite pleased with my results. Especially my Defense Against the Dark Arts mark. Parvati and I both got 'Outstanding'."

Neville grinned. "I did too, thanks to Harry."

Parvati smiled at Harry. "It's true. Everyone I've talked to that was in the DA did really well."

Harry smiled. "I'm happy to do anything that would drive Umbridge mad."

Lavender's eyes opened wide. "Have you heard what happened to her?"

Neville and Harry shook their heads.

Lavender smiled gleefully and leaned forward. "Supposedly, after she was chased out of Hogwarts, she went running to Fudge. He sent her packing and made sure that no one in the Ministry of Magic hired her. I heard she was seen wandering around Diagon Alley looking for a job."

"I'm just glad she won't be here this year," Harry said, leaning back in his seat. "Any idea who the new teacher is?"

Lavender shook her head. "I haven't heard a thing."

Parvati looked at Harry. "Promise you'll keep teaching us if the new teacher is awful, Harry."

Harry looked at Parvati and frowned. "I would hope that the new teacher is decent, if that's who's giving us battle training."

"Did both of you sign up for training?" Lavender asked.

Neville and Harry nodded.

"We did too," Lavender said. "My mum wasn't too happy about it, but she trusts Dumbledore, so she finally gave in."

"I didn't even think twice about it," Neville said forcefully. "Next time I face Death Eaters, none of them will be getting away."

Harry stared at Neville, surprised by the strength in Neville's voice. Harry realized that Neville was likely thinking of Bellatrix Lestrange, the Death Eater that had put Neville's parents in St. Mungo's Hospital.

Lavender looked at Neville with her eyes wide. "I can't imagine what that was like. You were all so brave."

Neville shrugged. "No braver than you would have been. You're a Gryffindor too."

Lavender studied Neville and smiled. Harry, on the other hand, was staring at Neville with his mouth hanging open. He had never seen Neville sound so sure of himself.

"Well, well, well. Who do we have here?"

Harry groaned as he recognized the drawl that was coming from the doorway. He turned his head to see Draco Malfoy sneering, with Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle flanking him.

"Did you miss me so much that you had to come find me, Malfoy?" Harry snarled.

Draco snorted. "I didn't see your dog at the station, Potter. I was concerned." Draco smirked. "Did something happen to him?"

Harry felt the anger rising inside him. He knew that Draco was referring to Sirius. Draco had obviously found out that Sirius had died.

"I didn't see your dear old dad, Malfoy. Did something happen to him? Oh wait, that's right," Harry said smiling. "He's in Azkaban."

Malfoy's face reddened. "Not for long, Potter," Draco said threateningly, reaching for his wand.

"What's going on here?" a voice asked from the hallway, Harry saw an extremely tall man with dark black hair peering down at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. He had a narrow face with a very sharp jaw line. His thick eyebrows furrowed together as he scowled at Malfoy.

"What's it to you?" Malfoy snarled.

The man took a step toward Malfoy and glared down at him. "You should return to your own compartment."

Draco crossed his arms. "I'm a prefect. I'm just performing my duty."

The man sneered at Malfoy. "Well, _Mr. Prefect,_ your brain is obviously too small to understand your duty, since the prefect meeting started ten minutes ago. I would suggest you attend it."

Draco's face turned scarlet as he stared angrily at the man. Draco pushed Crabbe and Goyle out of his way and marched down the hallway. Crabbe and Goyle shuffled after him.

The man looked into the compartment that Harry, Neville, Lavender, and Parvati were in. "Everything all right in here?"

They all nodded, staring at the stranger.

He smiled formally. "I'm Alexander Brooks. I'm the coordinating officer of the new Hogwarts Security Task Force assigned by the Ministry of Magic. You will see my fellow workers and me around the school this year. For the most part, I hope that you will be able to ignore us. Our job is not to stop you from having good, harmless fun. I will warn you though," he said glancing down the hall behind him. "None of us will put up with snotty little punks."

Harry grinned. He could not wait to tell Ron how Mr. Brooks had cut Malfoy down to size.

"Now, may I ask your names?" Mr. Brooks asked, taking a step into the compartment.

"Parvati Patil," Parvati said, holding out her hand to his. He shook it graciously and continued on.

"Lavender Brown."

"Neville Longbottom."

"Harry Potter."

As Harry had expected, Mr. Brooks's eyes flickered as Harry said his name. Mr. Brooks shook Harry's hand solemnly. "I have heard a lot about you Mr. Potter. I look forward to working with you."

Mr. Brooks bowed to all four students, and then turned and left the compartment, leaving them staring after him.

"What did he mean by 'working with you', Harry?" Neville asked.

Harry shook his head, still staring at the doorway Mr. Brooks had exited. "I have no idea."

Harry turned and saw Neville, Lavender, and Parvati staring at him. He sighed and wished that Hermione, Ron or Ginny were there. They wouldn't be looking at him as though he were some kind of freak.

Parvati seemed to pick up on Harry's discomfort. She turned to Neville. "So what classes are you taking this year, Neville?"

Harry smiled gratefully at Parvati and leaned his head back against his seat. His head was throbbing painfully and he was glad for the opportunity to slip out of the conversation. He closed his eyes and tuned the conversation out. He must have fallen asleep for the next thing he knew, someone was shaking his shoulder.

He blinked his eyes and saw Hermione leaning over him.

"Wake up, Harry," Hermione said smiling at him. "Ron and I would like to sit down."

Harry pushed himself up, realizing that he had stretched over the empty seats beside him.

"Sorry," he said looking around the compartment. He felt his cheeks burn as he noticed Lavender and Parvati smiling at him. _How long have I been sleeping?_

Ron caught Harry's eye as he sat down beside Parvati. Ron raised his eyebrows and nodded his head toward Lavender and Parvati questioningly. Harry shrugged.

"We've just seen Dumbledore," Hermione said sitting down beside Harry.

"He's here? On the train?" Neville asked.

Ron nodded. "He was at the prefect meeting. He told us about the new procedures and how we're supposed to work with the Task Force."

"That couldn't wait until you got to Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

Hermione studied Harry. "I agree Harry. It's really strange that he came just for that. There must be another reason."

Harry had just noticed that Ginny was not with Ron and Hermione. "Where's Ginny?"

"She's sitting with Dean. We passed his compartment on the way here," Hermione said, looking at Harry.

Harry felt as though a rock had just been dropped in his stomach. He felt Hermione staring at him. He cleared his throat. "How's he doing?"

"Good. We didn't stay long," Hermione said. "Ginny didn't want Ron hovering."

Harry smiled and tried to swallow the lump in his throat. _Why should I care where Ginny is, and who she is with?_

Harry turned to Ron, determined to change the subject. "Ron, you missed my annual greeting from Malfoy."

Ron rolled his eyes. "What a stupid git! He thought he could skive off the prefect meeting and get away with it. What did he do this time?"

Harry relayed what had happened earlier with Malfoy and Mr. Brooks.

Ron grinned. "About time someone put him in his place."

The train began to slow down, indicating their arrival in Hogsmeade.

Ron stood up and stretched. "I'm so glad only fifth year prefects have to deal with the first years. They're so annoying."

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "Ronald, you were a first year once too. You could try being a little sympathetic."

"Nah, they're just twitchy little midgets. We were never like that, right Harry?"

Harry smiled. "Sorry mate, I refuse to get involved in one of your squabbles."

Ron put a hand over his chest, pretending to be hurt by Harry's comment.

"I agree with you, Ron," Lavender said. "I can't stand first years."

"Aha! An ally!" Ron said smiling at Lavender.

Harry noticed Hermione pursing her lips as she looked at Lavender. She turned to Ron and said, "We should go back to the prefect compartment for our trunks. The train will be stopping any second now."

Ron shrugged. "Yeah, okay. See you later," Ron said, following Hermione out into the hallway.

Harry sat quietly as he waited for the train to stop. Lavender and Parvati had resumed their whispering and Neville was staring out the window. Even though Harry had slept for a good part of the train ride, it felt as though he had been on the train forever.

He turned to Neville. "Sorry I fell asleep," Harry said quietly. "I didn't mean to leave you on your own with them," Harry continued, nodding his head toward the girls.

Neville glanced at Lavender and Parvati and saw that they were still whispering. "It wasn't too bad, actually. They're okay to talk to." Neville said quietly. He then whispered, "They seem to do _that_ a lot more when _you're_ paying attention."

Harry raised his eyebrows and looked at the girls. They had stopped whispering and were looking at him. Lavender smiled as Parvati blushed and stared at her hands. He looked back at Neville and whispered, "I don't get it."

Neville grinned. "I think you have an admirer."

Harry's face dropped as his head shot back to look at Lavender and Parvati. They had both turned to look out the window. He studied both of them and decided that Neville was mad.

The train rolled to a stop and Harry stood and stretched. He and Neville stepped over to the trunks and pulled down Lavender and Parvati's trunks first.

"You two are such gentlemen!" Lavender said smiling. "Aren't they, Parvati?"

Parvati smiled. "Thanks," she said taking her trunk from Harry.

"No problem," Harry said. He turned and pulled on his own trunk and Hedwig's cage. "Shall we go?"

Parvati nodded and led the way out of the train. The four of them walked together to find an empty carriage. They settled in and were soon joined by Ron and Hermione. They both looked disgruntled.

"What's up with you guys?" Harry asked.

Hermione glanced at Ron and then crossed her arms and glared at the floor. Ron shrugged his shoulders and stared at the ceiling.

The carriage ride to the castle was quiet, the tension between Ron and Hermione filling the air. Harry wondered what his two friends were fighting about now.

The carriages pulled up in front of the castle and came to a stop. Everyone unloaded their trunks silently, and then walked up the stone steps and through the large doors into the Entrance Hall. Harry smiled as he looked around the familiar castle. He was happy to be back.

They stood in the Entrance Hall, waiting for the doors to the Great Hall to be opened. The night outside was cool, and Harry wondered how the first years were enjoying their trip across the lake.

"There you are!" Ginny exclaimed, pulling Dean by the hand toward Harry and his group. Her face was flushed and her eyes were sparkling brilliantly. Harry felt his stomach flip. "The first years have just arrived. They should be letting us in soon."

Harry smiled. Ginny had thrown herself completely into her prefect duties.

"Good!" Ron said, rubbing his stomach. "I'm --"

"Starving!" everyone said in unison.

Ron grinned and shrugged his shoulders.

The doors to the Great Hall swung open, and the crowd of students began to make their way in.

Harry took a few steps. "Mr. Potter!"

Harry turned around to look for the source of the call.

"Mr. Potter!" Professor McGonagall was striding through the crowd toward him.

Harry stepped over to her. "Yes, Professor?"

"The Headmaster would like to see you in his office," Professor McGonagall said in her usual authoritative manner.

"Is everything okay?" Harry asked, trying to stop panic from rising within him.

Professor McGonagall softened her expression. "Yes, Harry. The Headmaster has a few things he'd like to discuss with you. There's no need to worry."

Harry nodded. He then walked over to his friends who were waiting several feet away. "Go on without me. I've got to go see Dumbledore."

Hermione looked at Harry worriedly, "Is something wrong?"

Harry shook his head. "No. I don't think so. I'll see you later."

Harry returned to Professor McGonagall and they walked quickly towards Dumbledore's office. They stopped in front of the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the headmaster's office.

"Puking Pastilles," Professor McGonagall said, causing the stone gargoyle to jump to the side, revealing the revolving staircase to Dumbledore's office.

Harry couldn't hide his grin. He could not wait to tell Fred and George that Dumbledore had used one of their Skiving Snackboxes's names as his password.

"The Weasley twins live on," Professor McGonagall said under her breath. "I'll leave you here Harry. The headmaster is waiting for you."

Harry nodded and stepped onto the revolving staircase. He arrived at the top and knocked on the large wooden door.


	11. Chapter 11

"Come in, Harry," Dumbledore's voice came from the other side of the door.

Harry pushed the door open and stepped inside Dumbledore's office. Three pairs of eyes met Harry's gaze as the door swung shut behind him. The familiar blue, twinkling eyes of Professor Dumbledore shone at Harry over half-moon spectacles. The dark eyes of Alexander Brooks peered at Harry curiously. The third set of eyes belonged to a woman Harry had never met before.

She was tall and thin, and her face was lined with many years' worth of wrinkles. Her hair was a silver-grey, with a jet-black streak over the left side of her forehead. It was pulled into a tight bun, producing the same severe effect of Professor McGonagall. However, her eyes seemed strangely familiar; they were wide and tilted upwards at the sides. She stood staring at Harry, her eyes seeming to look right through him. He felt a chill go down his spine.

"Have a seat, Harry," Dumbledore said, motioning his hand toward the chair in front of his desk.

Harry walked over stiffly and sat down, feeling three sets of eyes following him. _This can't be good_, Harry thought to himself.

"Welcome back, Harry," Dumbledore said formally. "I trust you had a pleasant train ride?"

Harry nodded.

"Excellent," Dumbledore replied. "I expect you'd like to know why I've asked you to come here?"

Harry glanced at Mr. Brooks and the woman, who were still staring at Harry intently. Harry's stomach tightened and he felt a slight sweat breaking through his skin.

Harry cleared his throat. "Yes, Professor."

Dumbledore smiled. "I understand you have already met Mr. Alexander Brooks. As he told you, he will be coordinating the Security Task Force here at Hogwarts."

Harry nodded. This was not new information.

Dumbledore held his hand toward the woman. "Now, Harry, I would like to introduce you to Professor Medusa Pandoran. She is Hogwarts' new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Dumbledore smiled at the new professor. "Medusa, this is Harry Potter."

Professor Pandoran glided over to Harry and held her hand out to him. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Potter." Her voice betrayed her looks. Harry had expected a wispy or raspy voice from this thin, older woman, but instead she spoke strongly and smoothly.

Harry nodded as he stood and shook her ice-cold hand. Her eyes bore into him, making him feel uneasy.

Harry returned to his seat and looked at Dumbledore. Dumbledore nodded to the two seats to Harry's right, and Professor Pandoran and Mr. Brooks moved to them and settled in.

Dumbledore sat in his chair behind his desk and looked at Harry. "Both Professor Pandoran and Mr. Brooks have made special requests to meet with you, Harry."

Harry looked from Professor Pandoran to Mr. Brooks, wondering what on earth they wanted to meet with him for. He looked back to Dumbledore questioningly.

"Mr. Brooks, would you like to begin?" Dumbledore asked.

"Gladly," Mr. Brooks replied, inclining his head toward Dumbledore. He then turned to Harry. "As coordinator of security, my job is to research and implement the security needs of Hogwarts. While Hogwarts is known as one of the safest and most secure places in the wizarding world, there is always room for improvement. Therefore, as coordinator, there are certain things I need to know in order to ensure the safety of students. For example, I have spent the last month examining the weaknesses of Hogwarts' grounds and buildings. As a result, we were able to cast additional protective spells where I found weaknesses. Furthermore, I have positioned my officials in areas where I feel they are best positioned to oversee student activity."

Harry nodded, still confused as to what Mr. Brooks wanted of him.

"In addition to knowing Hogwarts inside and out, I need to know the enemy. Without knowing the enemy, we have no chance of implementing preventative security measures. And that's where you come in, Harry."

Harry's heart pounded hard in his chest. _What does that mean?_ Harry glanced at Dumbledore and saw him peering at Mr. Brooks over his steepled fingers. Dumbledore moved his gaze to Harry and gave him a reassuring nod.

Harry returned his gaze to Mr. Brooks.

"I have worked with the Ministry for years, Harry. I was there the first time we fought Voldemort and have been studying him ever since."

Harry looked at Mr. Brooks intently. The fact that Mr. Brooks had used Voldemort's name made Harry instantly respect him.

Mr. Brooks studied Harry and then continued. "In these past few years, I have felt as though the Ministry was missing an obvious piece of the puzzle as far as Voldemort is concerned. I could see a resource that they have refused to acknowledge. I believe it could be the most valuable source of information in understanding Voldemort. My assignment here at Hogwarts has given me the opportunity to examine this resource, if you are willing, Harry."

Harry stared at Mr. Brooks blankly.

Mr. Brooks smiled. "You are the resource, Harry. You have come face to face with Voldemort more often than many of his followers."

Harry swallowed, his brain racing. "What do you want me to do?"

"Initially, I just want to talk to you Harry. I want you to tell me about your experiences. I know it will be difficult for you to recount some of those experiences. However, I believe that your unique... bond… with Voldemort will give me an insight into understanding the enemy that my years with the ministry could not."

Harry looked at Dumbledore. Dumbledore leaned forward in his chair. "The decision is up to you, Harry."

Harry looked at Mr. Brooks skeptically. "So, you just want me to tell you what I know about Voldemort? I don't think I know more than anyone else."

Mr. Brooks smiled. "Well, I would like the opportunity to find out. A new perspective always helps. I have promised Professor Dumbledore that I will not take up too much of your time. You will be busy enough with your classes, Quidditch, and your work with Professor Pandoran."

Harry's eyes shot to Professor Pandoran, then returned to Mr. Brooks, who had continued talking. "If you agree, I would like to meet with you a few times this week. After that, I would like to meet occasionally, as the need arises."

Harry doubted that he would really be of any help to Mr. Brooks, but there didn't seem to be any harm in meeting with him. There was something else that confused him though.

Harry looked at Mr. Brooks and said, "I can meet with you this week, sir. But you said something about my working with Professor Pandoran?"

Mr. Brooks nodded and turned to Professor Pandoran. "I'll let Medusa explain."

Professor Pandoran had been sitting silently in her chair as Mr. Brooks explained his proposition to Harry. She studied Harry intently before she spoke.

"Mr. Potter, I understand that last year you led a secret student society in which you studied Defense Against the Dark Arts," Professor Pandoran said quietly.

Harry looked at Professor Dumbledore nervously, knowing that the Ministry considered these secret meetings of the students last year worthy of expulsion. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled brightly and a smile tugged at his lips.

Harry, encouraged by Dumbledore's expression, turned to Professor Pandoran. "Yes, Professor, that's correct."

She nodded curtly and continued. "I also understand that you are the top student in Defense Against the Dark Arts classes."

Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I'm sorry, I don't know about that, Professor."

Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I assure you, Harry, it's true."

Harry raised his eyebrows and felt his cheeks flush.

"There are two things I would like you to help me with, Mr. Potter, both having to deal with the new Battle Training course I will be teaching," Professor Pandoran began. "First, I would like to meet with you and discuss what you covered during your meetings. I would like to know which students attended, and the progress they made."

Harry looked worriedly to Dumbledore. The students had all sworn to keep the members of the DA a secret.

Dumbledore saw the panic in Harry's eyes. "No need to worry Harry. The students will not be reprimanded in any way."

Harry released the breath he was holding. He turned to Professor Pandoran. "All right, Professor. I can do that."

She nodded her head. "The next request will take up quite a bit of your time. I ask you to take some time to consider it."

Harry swallowed and nodded his head.

"I would like you to assist me in training students. Your experience and your initiative have shown you to be a responsible and knowledgeable student. If you accept, I would require your time three nights a week. One evening would be one on one with me for your own training as well as planning for the course. On the other two evenings, you would be assisting me in my instruction of the battle training courses for fifth and sixth year students."

Harry's mouth hung open. He was sure he must have misheard his new Professor. She couldn't possibly want _him_as an assistant. He was just a sixth year student. A student who, more often than not, was getting himself and his friends into trouble. She must be mistaken. How could he possibly help her?

Harry stared at the floor, his mind reeling. He shook his head and looked up at Professor Pandoran. "Are you sure you want_ me_? You must be thinking of someone else."

Professor Pandoran smiled, a startling change from the severe, cold stare she had been giving him thus far. "You come highly recommended, Harry. Your professors have many good things to say about you." She turned her gaze to Dumbledore. "You were right, Albus. He is painfully modest."

Harry stared at Professor Pandoran. She_was_serious. Harry worked through the thoughts spinning around in his mind. His professors had recommended him? _She obviously didn't talk to Snape_, Harry thought darkly. Nevertheless, she had asked_him_. Was this something he could do? Was this something he_wanted_ to do?

It was true; Harry had enjoyed playing the teacher role during the meetings of the DA. He found such satisfaction in watching the progress of his fellow students. This would give him the opportunity to continue working with them, helping them to gain the skills they may need in the dark times they were facing. But three nights a week was quite a commitment. He would also have Quidditch practice, not to mention mounds of homework. He could just imagine the scandalized look on Hermione's face if he were to fall behind in his classes.

Harry looked at Dumbledore, who was peering at Harry solemnly. Dumbledore's expression took Harry back to the last time he was in Dumbledore's office. Harry felt his stomach clench as he remembered their conversation. They had discussed Sirius's death, and Dumbledore had told Harry of the prophecy. Harry closed his eyes as the memory overwhelmed him..._either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..._ The words repeated themselves in Harry's mind.

If he were the only one who could defeat Voldemort, he would need to be prepared. He would have to learn as much as he could. And, if something were to happen to him, he would make sure the people he cared about would be able to defend themselves. He would help them now, while he could.

He opened his eyes and looked at Professor Pandoran. "I'll do it."

She stared at Harry, her eyes once again probing into him. He felt an odd twinge in his forehead but pushed it away. Harry returned her stare and jumped slightly when she flinched.

She turned to Dumbledore and said quietly, "You didn't tell me he had mastered Occlumency."

Harry's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. He looked at Dumbledore who was obviously trying to hide his smile.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and looked at Professor Pandoran seriously. "That's to stay within the walls of this office, Medusa. We have nothing to gain and much to lose if we advertise his ability."

Harry was shocked. "You just tried to break into my mind?" he blurted.

Professor Pandoran turned her penetrating eyes to Harry. "Yes. I wanted to make sure you were certain about your decision. Obviously, I will have to take your word on it."

Harry looked to Professor Dumbledore, shocked not only that he had successfully blocked an intruder from his mind, but also that he had done so without crashing to his knees in pain. Dumbledore winked at Harry. Harry smiled.

"Well, Harry, it seems you have a very busy year in front of you," Dumbledore said. "I ask you to come to me immediately if you are feeling overwhelmed. Other arrangements can be made if you feel it is too much responsibility."

Harry nodded. "Thanks, Professor. I'll keep that in mind."

"Well, then. Medusa, Alexander, I'll leave it to you to coordinate your meetings with Harry. I ask you to speak with Professor McGonagall regarding Gryffindor's Quidditch practice. I don't want Minerva scolding me for Gryffindor's Seeker missing practices," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.

Mr. Brooks and Professor Pandoran nodded.

"Very well. There's a hall full of young and, I'm sure, hungry students downstairs. We shall not keep them waiting any longer."

Dumbledore rose from his chair and led the group out of his office. Harry followed behind, feeling somewhat dumbfounded. This was definitely going to be an interesting year.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 - A Day of Firsts

"Harry, are you sure you're not taking on too much?" Hermione asked.

Harry rolled his eyes and sighed. It was Monday morning and he was sitting in the Great Hall across from Ron and Hermione. He had waited until their return to the Gryffindor common room the night before to tell them about his meeting with Dumbledore, Professor Pandoran, and Mr. Brooks. Harry had been thankful that Dumbledore had not mentioned anything during the Welcoming Feast. Harry was still trying to get used to the idea and was grateful that he would have some time before the entire school knew what he was going to be doing. After seeing how Ron and Hermione reacted, Harry wasn't sure he could handle anyone else at the moment. While Hermione had been hounding Harry about time for homework and the importance of his grades for auror training, Ron had been awkwardly silent since Harry told him the news. Harry had expected Hermione's reaction, but Ron's behaviour confused him. Harry had hoped Ron would be supportive, but was left disappointed.

"Hermione, how many times do I have to tell you? It's going to be fine!" Harry said annoyed.

Hermione frowned. "I'm just worried about you, Harry. You don't always have to be the one to take on this kind of responsibility."

Harry glared at her. "_You _were the one who talked me into teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts classes last year. How is this any different?"

Hermione stared at her hands in her lap. She looked up at Harry pleadingly. "Harry, this is a much larger commitment. Three nights a week! I'm worried that you're going to wear yourself down."

Harry sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated. "Like I told you already, Dumbledore said if I ever feel overwhelmed that other arrangements can be made."

"But Harry, I _know _you. You never give up on something once you've started it. Especially something like this."

Harry stared hard at Hermione. They had been through this over and over again. They were getting nowhere. He sighed again.

"Okay, Hermione. Let's make a deal. I promise to go to Dumbledore if things get too hard, and you promise not to question my decision to do this anymore."

Hermione reached her hand across the table and placed it on top of Harry's. "You know it's only because I care about you Harry."

Harry nodded and put his other hand on top of hers. "I know, Hermione. Now, do we have a deal?"

Hermione smiled and nodded. "Yes."

Harry returned her smile and then looked at Ron. Ron was staring at Harry and Hermione's hands still on top of one another on the table. He had a strange expression on his face. Ron shot Harry a glance, then returned to his bowl of porridge in front of him.

Harry pulled his hands away from Hermione and opened his mouth to say something to Ron, but was interrupted.

"Morning!" Ginny said brightly, sitting down beside Harry with Dean in tow.

Harry felt the now-becoming-familiar flip in his stomach. He forced himself to smile at Ginny and Dean.

"Morning," Harry managed from his suddenly dry mouth.

"Hi, Harry, Hermione...Ron," Dean said sitting beside Ginny, aware of the glare Ron was sending his way.

Ginny's face reddened as she narrowed her eyes at Ron.

Hermione cleared her throat, sensing a Weasley shouting match in the making. "Oh, look, here comes Professor McGonagall with our timetables."

All five heads turned to see Professor McGonagall making her way down the Gryffindor table. Harry waited anxiously, curious to see his sixth year schedule.

Professor McGonagall reached their group and handed the students their timetables.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley. I believe you have Transfiguration right before your lunch break. Can you please stay for a few minutes after class? I need to speak with both of you," Professor McGonagall said, peering down at them over her glasses.

Ron and Harry eyed each other. Ron raised his eyebrows at Harry, who shrugged his shoulders. "Yes, Professor," they answered simultaneously.

Professor McGonagall nodded and then moved away from them.

"What's that about?" Ginny asked.

"No idea," Ron replied, staring into his porridge.

"Maybe it has something to do with your meeting with Dumbledore, Harry. You never told me what happened," Ginny said reaching for a piece of toast. After the feast last night, Ginny and Dean had disappeared and did not return to the common room until well after Harry had relayed everything to Ron and Hermione.

Harry glanced at her and then to Dean. "I'll tell you later."

Ginny looked at Harry worriedly. "Is everything okay?"

Harry smiled at her. "Of course. It's just a long story and I don't want to get into it right now."

Ginny looked at him confused, but then turned back to her breakfast.

Harry took a swallow of pumpkin juice and noticed Hermione staring at him questioningly. Harry grabbed his class schedule and studied it, wishing for the kind of peaceful breakfast he had come used to at Grimmauld Place.

Harry's schedule was slightly different this year than it had been during his first five years. NEWT level classes were far more intense, and therefore sixth and seventh year students need not take as many classes. Harry had decided on Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. Ron and Hermione were taking the same courses, except that Hermione was also taking Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. Harry noted that with fewer courses, he had Study Hall times added to his schedule. _Well, that will help with the loss of a few evenings a week. Hermione will be happy_, Harry told himself.

Harry was about to point this out to Hermione, when the sound of hundreds of wings beating filled the Great Hall. Everyone looked up to see owls of every size and colour soar into the hall, carrying letters and parcels for the students.

Harry was surprised to see Hedwig among the crowd of owls. She landed in front of Harry and dropped two letters in front of him. She nipped a piece of toast from his plate and then flew away.

Harry picked up the letters and examined them. He did not recognize the writing on either piece of parchment.

He opened the top letter.

_Mr. Potter,_

_Please meet me in my office this evening at 7:00pm. Please come with the list of students as discussed yesterday. We will also discuss class content and scheduling._

_Sincerely,_

_Professor Pandoran_

Harry glanced up at the head table where the professors sat. He saw Professor Pandoran in conversation with Professor McGonagall. He turned to the second letter.

_Harry,_

_Please meet me in my office (Fourth Floor, across from the portrait of Nigel the Nitwit) tomorrow evening, 7:30._

_Thank you,_

_Alexander Brooks_

Harry folded both pieces of parchment and shoved them in his book bag. He was already feeling overwhelmed, and the day hadn't even started. He looked up to find Ron, Hermione and Ginny all staring at him expectantly.

He ignored them and glanced at his class schedule again. "Looks like we have Herbology first thing. Then Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration. That shouldn't be too bad."

Hermione surveyed Harry, contemplating what she was going to say. She glanced from Ron to Ginny, and then returned her gaze to Harry. "Yes, but you obviously haven't looked at the afternoon yet."

Harry looked down at his schedule, thankful not to have to answer questions about his letters. He didn't want Hermione to go after him again, and he would have to explain everything to Ginny...and Dean. He looked at his afternoon schedule. Charms followed by...double Potions. Harry groaned.

"Come on," Hermione said standing. "We should head out to the greenhouses. Dean, are you taking Herbology this year?"

Dean jumped, startled to be included in the conversation. "Uh, yeah."

"Great. Do you want to walk down with us?" Hermione asked.

Dean shrugged. "Sure. See you later, Ginny."

Dean stood up, picked his bag up off the floor, and kissed Ginny on the top of her head. As he straightened, he found Harry and Ron staring at him, frowning.

Hermione looked from Ron to Harry, rolled her eyes and said, "Let's go, Dean. Just ignore those two."

Ron and Harry watched Hermione lead Dean out of the Great Hall. They looked at each other, and then silently picked up their bags.

"See you Ginny," Harry said walking away.

"Wait," Ginny said catching Harry's arm.

Harry stopped and looked at her.

Ginny gave Harry a confused look. "I want to know what happened in Dumbledore's office. Can we meet later and talk?"

Harry stared into her deep brown eyes, thinking that he would do anything for her. He thought about his day and then answered. "I've got to meet with McGonagall at lunch, so how about after school? We can meet in the common room after our last class."

Ginny's face brightened. "I have a better idea. Let's meet on the Quidditch pitch. I can try out my new broom."

Like Ron, Ginny had received a new broom from her parents as a gift for becoming prefect.

Harry grinned. "Perfect. I'll meet you out there."

Harry turned and met up with Ron in the Entrance Hall.

"What did she want?" Ron asked as he and Harry walked outside into the crisp morning air.

"She wants me to tell her about my meeting with Dumbledore."

"Oh," Ron replied, avoiding Harry's eyes.

Harry stopped and looked at Ron. "Are you okay with me doing this, Ron?"

Ron stopped and turned to Harry. He stared down at his shoes and kicked the ground with his toe. "Yeah," he said. He then looked up at Harry. "It's just weird. It's another thing that singles you out. I guess I was surprised that you would want that."

Harry studied Ron. "I guess I never thought about it that way. I just saw it as an opportunity to help us prepare for whatever is coming our way."

Ron nodded. "What about Malfoy?"

Harry knitted his eyebrows together in confusion. "Malfoy?"

Ron nodded again. "Malfoy. You'll be teaching him. At least with the DA, it was people we trusted. Now you'll be teaching a possible future Death Eater how to fight us."

Harry swallowed, feeling stung by Ron's words. "There's nothing I can do about that, Ron."

"You could have said no," Ron said quietly.

Harry stared at Ron. "But I said yes. If it wasn't me, someone else would be training him, Ron. At least we'll know what he's learning."

Ron nodded and stared across the sprawling grounds before them. He cleared his throat and said quietly, "Hermione's pretty worried about you."

Harry chuckled. "When isn't she?"

Ron returned his gaze to Harry. "Yeah. Right."

Harry frowned at Ron. "What else is going on here?"

Ron shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Harry felt his anger rising. "Ron, if I've done something to piss you off, you have to tell me."

Ron shifted on his feet. "No. I'm just being stupid. Never mind."

Harry felt something click in his head. He stared at his best friend. "Is this about Hermione?"

Harry watched Ron's face flush. "What?"

Harry grinned. "Well, mate. Are you finally going to admit it?"

Ron looked at Harry with his eyebrows furrowed. "Admit what?"

Harry rolled his eyes and laughed. "Okay, so you're not quite there yet. I'll just say this: Hermione and I are best friends, but that's it. There will never be anything between us beyond friendship."

Ron's face was now a deep red. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Right."

Harry smiled and patted Ron on the back. "Let's go before Professor Sprout gives us detention for being late."

Ron nodded and stumbled along beside Harry. They ran into the greenhouse just before Professor Sprout began to call the class to order.

"You're cutting it close, boys. Hopefully this isn't an indication of how the year is going to be?" Professor Sprout admonished, raising her eyebrows.

"No, Professor. Sorry, Professor," Harry said, taking a place between Hermione and Neville.

Hermione gave them a scathing look.

"Where have you been?" she hissed as Professor Sprout began reviewing several plants they had studied last year.

"Er...we got sidetracked," Ron mumbled from Hermione's other side.

Hermione opened her mouth to continue her reprimand, but Harry nudged her. She turned to look at him and he shook his head. She closed her mouth and looked at Harry questioningly.

"Just leave it," Harry whispered.

Hermione sighed and turned her attention to Professor Sprout.

The remainder of class went by rather quickly. Professor Sprout took a considerable amount of time impressing upon the students the importance of their sixth year classes. If they thought last year's lectures on OWLs was bad, this was much worse. The students left the greenhouse feeling somewhat downtrodden and depressed.

"I wasn't expecting lectures on NEWTs until next year," Lavender moaned as the Gryffindor group of sixth years walked to their Defense Against the Dark Arts class together.

"I'm not surprised at all. In fact, I thought Professor Sprout took the matter a little too lightly," Hermione said.

Everyone rolled their eyes.

"I wonder what Professor Pandoran will be like," Neville said, changing the topic.

"I think she'll be all right," Harry said.

"How can you tell? We just saw her last night at supper," Lavender said.

"Oh," Harry said awkwardly. "Well, I already met her. I had to go to Dumbledore's office and she was there."

"Not in trouble already, were you Harry?" Lavender teased.

Harry shook his head. "Nope. Not this time."

Lavender grinned and then turned and whispered something into Parvati's ear. Parvati looked at Harry, blushing.

Harry cocked his eyebrows. _Those two are so strange_.

They walked into the classroom and found Professor Pandoran already seated at her desk. She glanced up at them and nodded at Harry.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter."

"Morning, Professor." Harry said taking a seat.

"Did you receive my letter this morning?"

Harry felt the eyes of everyone in the classroom turn to him. "Yes, Professor."

"Does that time work for you?"

Harry nodded. "Yes."

Professor Pandoran nodded and then glanced around the classroom, observing the students.

The students, sensing her gaze, turned their eyes from Harry and faced their new professor.

Professor Pandoran stood and addressed the students. "Good morning everyone. Welcome to another year of Defense Against the Dark Arts." She paused, and then allowed a small smirk to cross her face. "I hope you will find this course to be an improvement over last year."

"Here, Here!" Seamus cheered.

Professor Pandoran nodded at Seamus. "To begin, I will tell you a bit about myself. I grew up not far from here. I attended Hogwarts many, many years ago. A few years after I completed my schooling, I left Europe and did not return until two weeks ago. I studied the Dark Arts abroad, and worked with several ministries in developing their defenses. While I have been away for some time, I understand the threat that now faces us, and I hope to help you all to overcome it."

The students stared silently at their teacher. So far, she was a huge improvement over Umbridge.

"As far as how this class will be run, we will be studying both the theoretical and practical aspects of magical defense. I believe everyone here is enrolled in Battle Training, is that correct?"

Everyone nodded.

"Good. You will then have a great opportunity to practice your skills. My assistant and I look forward to working with you."

Harry felt his face go red as Professor Pandoran glanced at him. Luckily, only Ron and Hermione noticed.

"Now then, let's begin with a little review."

After Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Transfiguration class came and went much as Harry had expected. They received a fierce scolding from Professor McGonagall about their dedication and responsibilities to their studies. Harry had to endure continual sniffing and pokes from Hermione as Professor McGonagall lectured them. He finally threw Hermione a withering glare, causing her to lay off. They then began review from the previous year, filling several pieces of parchment with notes. With their hands aching, they sighed with relief when Professor McGonagall dismissed them.

Ron and Harry walked apprehensively to the front of the class as the rest of the students filtered out for lunch.

"You wanted to see us Professor?" Harry said as they reached Professor McGonagall's desk.

She peered up at them over her glasses and set down her quill.

"Yes. Thank you for staying." She stood up and walked around her desk and stood beside them, her arms crossed. Harry and Ron both swallowed hard and shifted awkwardly on their feet.

Professor McGonagall continued, "I believe we need to make some decisions regarding the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

Harry and Ron both felt a wave of relief. Quidditch. They should have known.

Professor McGonagall looked at Harry. "Mr. Potter, with your busy schedule this year, I think it would be best to establish set times each week for Quidditch practice. Every team will be struggling to get their practices in, especially with Battle Training taking up three nights a week. The Heads of Houses have agreed to meet and devise the schedule, with the input of the team captains."

Harry nodded.

Ron cleared his throat. "Excuse me, Professor. With Angelina gone this year, who will our Quidditch captain be?"

Professor McGonagall surveyed Ron thoughtfully. "Well, Mr. Weasley. You, of course."

Ron's mouth dropped open and Harry grinned.

"_Me?_" Ron squeeked.

Professor McGonagall's lips stretched into a thin smile. "Yes, Mr. Weasley. _You_. Are you up for it?"

Ron opened and closed his mouth several times, his eyes bulging out of his head. "Yes, Professor."

Professor McGonagall narrowed her eyes. "I certainly hope so, Mr. Weasley. I want the Quidditch Cup to stay where it belongs."

Ron grinned.

"Mr. Weasley, I will be contacting you to let you know when we will be meeting to set the practice schedule. Mr. Potter, if you would please inform your Quidditch Captain of the days in which you will be working with Professor Pandoran, then we can work from there."

"Yes, Professor," Harry and Ron replied. Professor McGonagall nodded at them, smiled slightly and left the classroom.

As soon as they were in the hallway, Ron let out a loud whoop. "Can you believe it, Harry?"

"It's brilliant, Ron. Brilliant!"

Ron practically skipped all the way to the Great Hall, with Harry laughing behind him all the way.

"Hermione, guess what?" Ron exclaimed as he bounded up to her at the Gryffindor table.

She raised her eyebrows at Ron and then smiled at his glowing face. "What?"

"McGonagall named me Quidditch Captain!"

Hermione's mouth dropped open. She stood up and threw her arms around Ron. "Oh Ron! I'm so happy for you! You must be thrilled!"

Ron wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist, lifted her off her feet, and swung her around in several circles before placing her back down.

"Ron!" she scolded, blushing furiously. Ron grinned sheepishly and sat down at the table. Harry grinned, realizing he had never seen his friend look happier.

* * *

Harry entered the Potions' classroom with a feeling of dread. He had just gone through an uneventful Charms class, and knew that he could not expect the same in Potions. Harry sat in a desk behind Ron and Hermione and glanced around the room. He spotted Draco near the front of the classroom and sighed. _Another year of Potions with Slytherins_.

"Can I sit with you, Harry?"

Harry turned his head and saw Parvati standing beside him.

Harry removed his book bag from the empty seat. "Sure."

Parvati smiled shyly and sat down.

Harry glanced behind her. "Isn't Lavender taking Potions?"

Parvati nodded. "Yeah."

Harry furrowed his eyebrows together. He didn't remember a time when Lavender and Parvati sat separately in any of their classes.

"Did you two have a fight or something?" Harry asked.

Parvati smiled. "No. Lavender had something she needed to take care of before she came here."

Harry studied Parvati. That still didn't explain why Parvati hadn't sat in an empty desk and waited for Lavender.

Lavender came rushing into the classroom and beamed at Parvati when she spotted her. Lavender whispered something in Parvati's ear, and then sat in the empty seat behind Harry and Parvati. Dean came in shortly after and took the seat beside Lavender.

Harry turned around to find Hermione and Ron looking at him quizzically. Harry shrugged his shoulders.

The classroom door slammed shut and the students fell silent. Professor Snape strode to the front of the classroom and sneered down at the students. His gaze fell on Harry and his eyes narrowed. Harry glared at his professor, hating him with every ounce of his being. Snape's expression reflected the same sentiment.

Snape broke his stare from Harry and glanced around the classroom.

"As you can see, many of your fellow classmates were unable to achieve a high enough standard in Potions to continue in their sixth year of study," Snape said smirking and nodding his head toward the empty desks. Harry noticed the absence of Neville and Seamus from the Gryffindor group.

"Apparently, the standards weren't high enough," Snape sneered, letting his eyes fall on Harry once more. Draco turned in his seat and smirked at Harry.

Harry clenched his fists on his desk, imagining different ways to hex Snape. He jumped slightly when he felt Parvati's hand on his arm. He looked at her and she smiled at him. "Ignore him," she whispered. Harry nodded, feeling slightly awkward by Parvati's behaviour. He returned his attention to Snape.

"Since you are supposedly among the best students in sixth year, I think I shall test your skills today," Snape said, his eyes flashing dangerously. Snape flicked his wand, causing a vial of black liquid to appear in front of each student.

"Drink," Snape ordered.

The students looked at their vials apprehensively. Even Draco seemed to be questioning his favourite professor's motives.

Harry reached for his vial, uncorked it, and swallowed the liquid in one gulp. He felt the liquid burn its way down his throat and into his stomach. He gasped, sure that his stomach was on fire. Harry heard groans and whimpers from all sides of the classroom as the students followed Snape's orders.

Snape smirked at the students in front of him. "Now that you've all been poisoned, I suggest you copy down the antidote," he said, and with a wave of his wand, the potion for the antidote appeared on the blackboard.

The students stared at Snape with a mixture of confusion and fear.

Snape sneered at his students. "If you are successful, your potion will reverse all effects of the poison. If not, Madame Pomfrey will be the only person you'll be seeing for the next week."

The students stared at Snape in shock.

Draco laughed. "Good one, Professor."

Snape's eyes flashed dangerously as he turned to face Draco. "I assure you, Mr. Malfoy. I am not joking. Now, get to work!"

Draco's face paled. Professor Snape had never spoke to Draco in that manner before. He had also never poisoned his students before.

Harry grimaced as he felt another burst of fire in his stomach. He took out a piece of parchment and a quill, and very carefully wrote down the potion from the board. He could see Parvati's hand shaking violently as she copied the potion down. He looked at her and saw absolute fear in her face. A flare of anger rose in Harry. Only Snape would do this to his students.

Harry collected the ingredients for the potion and returned to his desk. He glanced at Ron and Hermione, but knew better than to speak to them. Snape would look for any opportunity to reprimand Harry and prevent him from finishing his potion.

Harry set to work, lighting the fire under his cauldron, and triple checking each step as we worked through the difficult potion. As awful as he found Potions class usually, the fire burning in his stomach did not help matters. Harry sat on his stool, and watched his potion bubble. He was waiting for the green smoke to turn blue, which would indicate when he needed to add the eye of newt.

Harry scanned the classroom, seeing several students hovering over their cauldrons. Others gripping their stomach and waiting, as Harry was. Ron caught Harry's eye. Ron raised his eyebrows and nodded at Harry's cauldron, silently asking Harry how his potion was coming. Harry shrugged and nodded towards Ron's cauldron. Ron grinned and nodded his head towards Hermione. Harry smiled, knowing Hermione would have helped Ron get it right.

Harry turned his gaze to Parvati. She was standing over her cauldron with the eye of newt in her hand. Harry jumped off his stool and grabbed her hand. "Not yet!" he whispered frantically, pulling her away from the cauldron.

Parvati stared at Harry, taken aback. She glanced down at her notes and her eyes opened wide. She swallowed hard. "Thanks," she whispered, looking at Harry. They sat on their stools, and Harry noticed Parvati twisting her hands in her lap. He shot Snape another angry glance. How were they supposed to concentrate on their potion, knowing that they had poison inside them?

Snape had been walking around the classroom smirking and clicking his tongue. He rather seemed to be enjoying the sickly look of the students.

A bright light emitted from Harry's cauldron, and the smoke changed from green to blue. Harry threw in the eye of newt, stirred the potion three times counter-clockwise, and distinguished the fire underneath. He ladled the potion into a flask and set it on his desk to cool. Hermione eyed Harry's flask and then smiled at Harry. He breathed a sigh of relief.

All of the Gryffindor students had managed to brew their potions correctly, much to the disappointment of Snape. Pansy Parkinson, on the other hand, had vomited spectacularly all over Draco after drinking her potion. It took Harry all of his willpower not to cheer loudly.

Professor Snape glared down at Pansy. "Miss Parkinson, how dare you disgrace the house of Slytherin. Mr. Malfoy, give her some of your potion before she disgraces us further."

Harry wondered if Pansy had been a Gryffindor student, whether or not Snape would have allowed her to drink another student's antidote. Not likely. However, the look on Draco's face as he looked down at his vomit-covered robes was enough for Harry to let the thought slip his mind.

After Snape had dismissed the students, Harry cleaned out his cauldron and packed his school bag. He paused and waited for Ron and Hermione to join him. He felt a tap on his shoulder.

Harry turned around and saw Parvati smiling at him. "I wanted to thank you again for helping me with my potion."

Harry smiled. "No problem."

Parvati stared at Harry, her eyes shining brightly. She suddenly rushed forward, planted a kiss on his lips, and then turned and ran out of the classroom.

Harry stood frozen, his mouth slightly ajar. He stared at the doorway where Parvati had just disappeared.

"What was that?" Ron asked, his voice filled with laughter.

Harry shook his head. "No idea." he said, his voice barely audible.

Hermione sighed. "Harry, it's obvious that she likes you. Haven't you noticed how she's always whispering to Lavender when you're around?"

Harry turned his gaze to Hermione. "That means she likes me?"

"Well, it means either she or Lavender likes you. Now I think we know which one it is," Hermione said, leading the boys out of the classroom.

Harry shook his head. "Girls are so strange."

Hermione sighed. "Not nearly as strange as boys."

Harry glanced at Ron and grinned. Ron gave Harry a warning look, causing Harry to laugh out loud.

"What's so funny?" Hermione asked, stopping and staring at Harry.

"Nothing. I've just got something caught in my throat," Harry lied, trying to hold his laughter in and coughing.

Hermione rolled her eyes and continued walking up the stairs. "Honestly!" she muttered under her breath.

Harry glanced at Ron, still coughing into his hand. Ron blushed and punched Harry in the arm.

Once inside the common room, Harry raced upstairs, deposited his books on his bed and grabbed his Firebolt. He could not wait to meet Ginny and spend some time flying.

When he arrived at the Quidditch pitch, Ginny was already there, soaring through the air. She landed beside him, her eyes face flushed with excitement.

"Come on, Harry. What are you waiting for?" Ginny exclaimed as she kicked off from the ground again.

Harry grinned and jumped on his Firebolt. He kicked the ground and immediately felt exhilarated. Flying was absolutely the best feeling Harry had ever experienced. The wind whipped through his hair as he and Ginny chased each other around the pitch. After nearly half an hour, they glided to the ground, both grinning madly.

Ginny plopped herself on the ground. "There's nothing better than flying," she said, her eyes sparkling.

Harry sat down beside her, leaning back on his arms. "I've missed that."

Ginny smiled at him. "Gryffindor is lucky to have their Seeker back."

"You still trying out for Chaser?" Harry asked.

Ginny nodded. "Definitely."

"Isn't it great about Ron?"

Ginny knitted her eyebrows together. "What about Ron?"

Harry grinned. "Haven't you heard? He's been made Quidditch Captain."

Ginny's mouth dropped open. "Wow. He must be thrilled." She paused and stared out over the pitch. "I hope he's not too hard on me."

Harry shook his head. "Nah, I think he'll be great."

Ginny smiled ruefully. "Well, you're not his little sister."

Harry smiled and shook his head. "That I'm not."

Ginny returned her gaze to Harry. She stared into his eyes searchingly. Harry tore his eyes away from her gaze and began picking at the grass.

"So...are you going to tell me why Dumbledore wanted to see you?" Ginny asked quietly.

Harry looked at Ginny. She was looking at him with a frown on her face.

"Actually, it was Mr. Brooks and Professor Pandoran that wanted to see me. Dumbledore just organized it."

"What did they want?"

Harry explained the requests that both Mr. Brooks and Professor Pandoran had of him.

"And what did you say?" Ginny asked, her eyes wide.

"I said yes to both of them." Harry said, anxious to see her reaction.

Ginny stared at the ground silently. Harry watched her, trying to read the look on her face. Would she lecture him like Hermione, or be disappointed like Ron?

"I think you'll be great Harry," Ginny said quietly, still staring at the ground.

"Really?" Harry asked, surprised.

Ginny looked up at him and smiled. "You're so good at Defense Against the Dark Arts and you've had experience fighting. I imagine you wish you hadn't faced Death Eaters as often as you have, but I can see why Professor Pandoran would want you to help her. You're an excellent student and you take your responsibilities seriously. I'm really happy for you, Harry. You should feel proud that you were asked."

Harry stared at Ginny. He was amazed at her ability to say exactly what he needed to hear. "Thank you, Ginny," he said softly.

She smiled and punched him lightly in the arm. "So, when do we start, Mr. Potter? Or should I call you Professor?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. Can you imagine Malfoy calling me Professor?"

Ginny laughed as she stood up and brushed the grass off her robes. "Come on. Let's get a few more rounds in before supper," she said jumping on her broom once more.

Harry grinned, grabbed his Firebolt, and kicked off the ground. He raced in pursuit of Ginny; he wasn't going to let her get away.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: FYI - If you didn't already know, the magical creature studied by the students in this chapter belongs to JKR. I found it in _Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them_. I can not and will not take credit for their creation, as they, and these wonderful characters, all belong to the fabulous Jo Rowling. Thank you, Jo, for creating such a wonderful world, and allowing us to play in it!

**Chapter 13 - Discoveries**

"Wake up, Harry."

Harry groaned and crammed his pillow over his head.

Ron pulled the hangings around Harry's bed open and yanked the pillow from Harry.

"Come on! You said you wanted to get to class early to talk to Hagrid," Ron whispered, not wanting to disturb the other boys in the dormitory.

Harry sighed. He, Ron and Hermione had discussed getting up early to visit Hagrid. They hadn't talked to him since they returned to school. Harry knew Hagrid would be disappointed if they didn't visit him. He rolled out of bed and stumbled to his dresser.

After Harry had met with Ginny on the Quidditch pitch the previous day, he had met up with Ron and Hermione in the common room. There, they helped him with the list of students that attended the DA meetings. Harry also jotted down the different spells he had taught them. By the time he was done with the list, he only had a few minutes to shovel down some food before meeting Professor Pandoran.

Their meeting had lasted nearly two hours. Professor Pandoran went through the list of students with Harry, adding additional notes as to how well Harry felt each student had mastered the various spells. Professor Pandoran had then asked Harry to demonstrate each of the tasks himself, and quizzed him on several theoretical aspects of defensive magic. She had also questioned him as to why there had been no Slytherins in the group. Harry had squirmed uncomfortably, but decided to answer truthfully; since the group had to be kept secret, they wanted to make sure that the students involved were trustworthy, and frankly, Harry did not know any Slytherins he felt he could trust.

Harry had left Professor Pandoran's office feeling more exhausted than he had after his Occlumency sessions with Dumbledore. He returned to the common room to find Ron and Hermione working on their Charms homework. Harry had joined them, finishing his homework shortly before midnight.

Harry pulled on his school robes yawning widely. He followed Ron down the stairs to the common room. Hermione was already there waiting for them.

"It's about time!" Hermione teased. She walked over to the portrait hole and led the way to the Great Hall.

They ate their breakfast quickly, and then headed out to Hagrid's hut. The sky was a clear, crystal blue and the grass sparkled as the bright sunshine glistened on the dew. They walked swiftly over the damp grass down the slope to Hagrid's hut. Ron pounded on Hagrid's door as Hermione shivered in the cool morning air.

The door swung open and Hagrid appeared, his black hair a tangled mess and a huge grin spreading across his face.

"Well, I was wonderin' when I'd see yeh three!" Hagrid said, stepping aside. "Come in. We'll have sum tea before class."

Harry, Ron and Hermione stepped into the warmth of Hagrid's hut. A huge fire was crackling and sending a warm glow across the room. They sat down at the table.

"Did you have a good summer, Hagrid?" Hermione asked.

"Can' complain, can' complain," Hagrid said, setting large, saucer-sized mugs of tea in front of them. "Ol' Dumbledore kep' me busy wi' this and that."

Hagrid sat down and leaned his elbows on the table, nearly upsetting all of their mugs. "An' you, Hermione? D'ya have a good summer?"

Hermione sipped her tea and smiled. "Yes. I spent most of it with Harry and Ron. It was great."

Hagrid's eyes moved to Harry. He cleared his throat. "How have yeh bin makin' out, Harry?"

Harry smiled as Hagrid looked at him worriedly. "I've been all right. I had a few rough spots over the summer, but these two and Ginny helped me along."

Hagrid nodded sadly and patted Ron on the shoulder, causing Ron to topple out of his chair. Hagrid did not notice, however, and continued talking as Ron clambered back into his seat. "I thought 'bout you over the summer, Harry. Was a bloody shame what happened to Sirius. Bloody shame."

Harry nodded and patted Hagrid's humongous arm. "Yes. We all miss him."

Hagrid sniffed loudly.

Harry's mind scrambled to find something else to talk about. "How has Grawp been?"

Hagrid smiled widely. "He's comin' along. He's much more agreeable now."

Harry, Ron and Hermione all exchanged glances. Hagrid had brought his half-brother, a giant, to the Forbidden Forest last year. Grawp had been anything but agreeable when Harry and Hermione had met him.

"Well, look at the time," Hagrid said. "Yeh'd better be headin' out. I'll meet yeh out there in a few minutes fer class."

Ron, Hermione and Harry drained their mugs of tea and returned to the crisp morning air. None of the other students had arrived yet.

"I wonder what he has planned for us today," Ron said, glancing around apprehensively.

Hagrid's idea of 'interestin' creatures' was quite different than the students'. Hagrid always had an affinity for creatures that most people would deem dangerous.

"I don't see any crates or anything," Hermione said.

Harry also glanced around. He turned back to his friends. "Maybe he's going to teach us how to take care of Grawp," Harry joked, while secretly hoping that Hagrid would not be that crazy.

Ron and Hermione looked nervously from Harry to the Forbidden Forest.

"You don't think --" Ron began, his eyes open wide.

"Don't be silly," Hermione said, trying to convince herself as much as the others. "Hagrid can't show Grawp to students. Grawp has to be kept a secret. Plus it wouldn't be safe for Grawp...or us."

Ron looked at Hermione skeptically, but the noise of students approaching caught his attention. A smirk came across his face.

"Hey, Harry! Here comes Parvati. You better pucker up!"

Harry punched Ron in the arm, setting Ron into a gleeful roar of laughter. Harry looked toward the castle and saw Parvati, Lavender, Neville, Dean, and Seamus, followed by a group of Slytherins, making their way down the hill towards Hagrid's hut. Harry hadn't seen Parvati since her odd behaviour at the end of Potions class yesterday. He watched her walking towards him and felt his stomach clench.

Harry moved his gaze from the approaching group of students to the ground before him. He had no idea how to react to Parvati's actions. He turned to Hermione.

"What should I do?" he whispered.

Hermione stared at him. "Do you like her?" she whispered back.

Harry glanced at Parvati, who was getting closer and closer. His stomach flipped nervously. It was the same way he had been reacting to Ginny lately. He was so confused. He turned to Hermione and shrugged.

Hermione studied Harry, her brows knitting together. Harry wished he could read her thoughts. She finally shrugged and said, "Well, I'd say you need to figure out if you like her or not. I would suggest talking to her."

"Talk to her about what?" Harry whispered frantically, as the group was nearly upon them.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Anything. Just talk to her like you talk to me. Honestly, Harry. Get a hold of yourself!"

Harry glanced at Ron who had been very unsuccessful in containing his laughter. Harry clamped his jaw tight, narrowed his eyes, and then raised his eyebrows at Ron and nodded his head toward Hermione. Ron's laughing ceased immediately as his face flushed scarlet. Harry grinned, satisfied.

"My, you three must have been up bright and early," Lavender said as the group approached Ron, Harry and Hermione.

Hermione smiled. "Yes. We were just down for a quick visit with Hagrid before class."

Harry heard Draco scoff and mutter something to his fellow Slytherins.

Neville glanced around nervously. "Any idea what Hagrid's teaching us today?" he asked, turning to Ron, Harry, and Hermione.

They didn't get a chance to answer as Hagrid burst out of his hut carrying his crossbow, with Fang, his boarhound, at his heels.

"Mornin' class," Hagrid said grinning broadly. "Good teh see yeh back fer another year."

The Gryffindor students smiled at Hagrid apprehensively. The Slytherins scowled.

"Now, where...?" Hagrid seemed to be scanning the grounds leading to the Forbidden Forest. "Ah! There they are!" Hagrid said happily.

The students followed Hagrid's gaze. Emerging from the Forbidden Forest were four security officials, dressed in heavy black cloaks, wands drawn. They nodded at Hagrid.

"Right. Le's go class," Hagrid said, leading the students toward the officials and the Forbidden Forest.

Ron threw Harry a panicked look. Harry felt his heartbeat quicken as he wondered what Hagrid had in store for them.

As they approached the security officials, Hagrid turned to the class. "Al'righ'. Wait 'ere fer a momen'."

Hagrid spoke quietly to the security officials, then returned to the students.

"Seems ter be in order. Come along."

Hagrid, along with two of the security officials, led the group of students into the forest. Harry noticed the other two security officials following the group from behind.

The students followed Hagrid in silence. Harry was happy to note that Hagrid seemed to be sticking to the path. Harry had strayed off the path enough times to know that they were less likely to meet anything too dangerous along the path.

Hagrid stopped walking and peered down into the low-lying bushes lining the path. He straightened up, faced the class and smiled.

"Righ' then. Today we'll be studyin' a new type o' creature. Mos' people are 'fraid of 'em, bu' really, they're jus' misunderstood."

The class stared at Hagrid, too frightened to speak.

Hagrid looked around nervously and cleared his throat. "Righ' then. Who can tell me what an Augurey is?"

Harry heard Hermione sigh in relief as her hand shot into the air.

"Hermione?" Hagrid called, smiling.

"An Augurey, also called the Irish Phoenix, is a small, vulture-like bird that only flies in heavy rain. It was believed that the Augurey's low cry foretold death, however it was later found that they simply sung as the rain approached," Hermione replied.

"Excellent, Hermione. Ten points ter Gryffindor," Hagrid beamed. "I discover'd this group of nests jus' th' other day."

Hagrid surveyed the students before him. "A'righ'. If yeh get inter pairs, there should be enough nests fer everyone to get a proper look. Fer the remainder of class, I'd like yeh ta sketch th' tiny birds an' their nests."

Harry hitched his school bag up on his shoulder and turned to see if Neville wanted to be his partner. However, he came face to face with Parvati.

Harry noticed Parvati blush deeply as her eyes darted to the forest floor.

Harry stood awkwardly in front of her for a moment, then remembered Hermione's advice. He took a deep breath.

"Do you want to be my partner, Parvati?" Harry asked.

Parvati's blush deepened as she lifted her eyes to meet Harry's. "Sure."

Harry smiled and led them away from the other groups of students and over to an empty stretch of low bushes. He carefully pushed the prickly brush aside, painfully aware of Parvati standing behind him. He scanned the bush, trying to find the Augureys. He then spotted a tear-shaped nest hidden deep in the brush.

"Look," Harry said, turning to Parvati. "I've found a nest."

Parvati leaned forward, her long, dark hair brushing Harry's arm. Harry noticed the floral scent of her as she leaned past him to peer into the nest.

She straightened herself and looked at Harry with her nose wrinkled. "They're ugly."

Harry laughed and leaned over the nest. He saw two, very sickly-looking, greenish black birds huddled in the nest. No wonder people thought these birds forewarned death, they looked so mournful.

Harry knelt on the ground beside the bush and turned to Parvati.

"I'll hold back the branches while you sketch, then we'll switch."

"Okay," Parvati said sitting down beside Harry. She pulled a piece of parchment, an ink bottle and a quill out of her bag and began drawing.

Harry observed Parvati as she worked. Her forehead was wrinkled in concentration, and occasionally, she bit her bottom lip as she drew. Her dark, brown eyes darted back and forth from the birds to her drawing. _She is quite pretty,_ Harry observed.

She looked up and found Harry staring at her.

"What?" she asked, eyeing Harry curiously.

"Nothing," Harry said, darting his eyes away from her.

Parvati turned back to her sketch, added a few more details, and then set her quill down.

"There," she said, narrowing her eyes as she examined her work. She held it up for Harry to see. "What do you think?"

Harry stared at her sketch, rather impressed. She had drawn a sideview of the nest, capturing the tear-dropped shape perfectly. Beside that, she had drawn the nest from the top view, looking in. She had drawn the birds flawlessly. Harry expected to see them fly right off her page.

"Wow, Parvati. That's excellent," Harry said sincerely.

Parvati frowned. "Are you sure? They look awful."

Harry grinned. "They're supposed to look awful. They're ugly, remember?"

Parvati smiled and set her parchment on the ground. "Okay. Your turn."

Harry pulled his quill and a piece of parchment out of his bag and began drawing. He had just finished the nest when he felt Parvati staring at him. He looked up.

"What?" he asked.

Parvati jumped and darted her eyes away. "N-nothing. I was ... nothing," she stammered.

Harry set down his quill and stared at her. "What?" he asked again.

Parvati blushed deeply, then said quietly, "I'm sorry I kissed you yesterday."

Harry felt his own cheeks flush. He had not expected her to say _that_.

"Oh...that," Harry croaked. He cleared his throat. "Don't worry about it," he said, wondering if the little time they had just spent together made her realize what an idiot he really was.

Harry picked up his quill and continued drawing, thinking about what he was going to say to Hermione for putting such a stupid idea in his head.

Harry was lost in thought when he felt Parvati lean closer to him as he sat hunched over his parchment. She whispered, "That's not how I imagined our first kiss to be."

Harry's hand froze over his parchment as Parvati returned to her previous position. He felt his mouth go dry as he stared, unseeing, at his parchment. He swallowed hard, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. _She had imagined them kissing before?_

Harry cleared his throat and continued staring at his parchment. "How did you imagine it to be?" Harry asked quietly. He raised his eyes to hers and found her smiling at him shyly.

Harry, finding courage he didn't know he had, glanced around at the other students in the class. The closest pair was at least ten feet away, and everyone was bent over the bushes, peering into the bird's nests. He returned his gaze to Parvati, who was still staring at him, her eyes sparkling. Harry leaned forward slightly, looking into her eyes questioningly. Parvati leaned towards him, her eyes fluttering closed. Harry leaned in and met her lips with his. He felt her soft lips press against his, sending a jolt down his spine.

They broke apart and smiled at each other, both blushing.

"Al'righ' class. Gather yer things together. Time ter head back," Hagrid's voice boomed through the forest.

Harry looked down at his half-finished sketch and frowned. He'd have to finish it for homework.

"I can help you with that," Parvati said, reading Harry's expression.

Harry pushed himself to his feet and held his hand out for Parvati. She put her hand in his and allowed Harry to pull her to her feet. "Don't worry about it," Harry said, stooping to pick up his school bag. "I'll get it done."

Parvati smiled. "Well, you can borrow my drawing," she said. She then grinned and blushed, "After all, it was my fault that you didn't get done."

Harry looked at her and grinned. "That's true. You _did_ distract me."

Parvati blushed deeper and smiled at Harry. "Here," she said, handing Harry her drawing. "Just get it back to me when you're done."

"Thanks," he said smiling and placing her parchment into his bag. "We should get going."

Parvati nodded and moved toward the rest of the students who were gathering around Hagrid. Harry followed her and met up with Ron and Hermione. Parvati turned, waved at Harry shyly, and then joined Lavender.

Harry turned to Ron and Hermione, grinning. "Good class, eh?"

Ron and Hermione stood staring at Harry.

"Er...right," Ron said, eyeing Harry curiously.

The students made their way out of the forest silently, escorted by Hagrid and the security officials. Once the students were out of the forest, they all began chattering as they walked toward the castle.

Harry noticed Ron and Hermione shooting curiously glances at him as they walked up to the castle. No matter how hard he tried, Harry couldn't wipe the silly grin off of his face. Several yards ahead of them, Parvati was walking with Lavender. Harry noticed the smile on Parvati's face as she talked to Lavender.

Lavender suddenly squealed loudly, causing several students to turn and look at her.

"Wonder what that's all about," Ron said, raising his eyebrows.

Harry felt his face flush, thinking that he had a pretty good idea.

Hermione turned to look at Harry. "Why is your face all red, Harry?"

Harry glanced at Hermione and tried his best to look nonchalant. "Is my face red?" he asked innocently.

Ron turned to look at him. "Harry, are you blushing?"

Harry, swearing at himself for still smiling, shook his head. "Why would I be blushing?"

Hermione glanced at Ron and raised an eyebrow. She turned back to Harry. "I noticed you were partners with Parvati in class."

Harry shrugged. "Yep."

Ron and Hermione stared at Harry. Hermione prodded, "And how was it?"

"Good." Harry replied, smiling widely. He glanced ahead and saw Parvati glancing at him over her shoulder. She smiled and turned back around.

Ron stared at Harry incredulously. "You like her, don't you?"

Harry blushed. "Well..."

"Well what?" Ron and Hermione said together.

Harry blushed deeper. "I...sort of...kissed her."

"You what?" Ron and Hermione shrieked stopping in their tracks.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Come on you guys. Don't make a big deal out of this."

"You _kissed_ her?" Ron whispered, his eyes dancing with a mixture of glee and amazement.

"During _class_?" Hermione scolded quietly. "What if you got caught?"

Harry shrugged. "We didn't get caught."

Hermione continued to look at him with a scandalized look.

Harry sighed. "It's not like we were snogging. It was a quick kiss. No big deal."

Hermione relented. "So, you like her?" she asked.

Harry looked up at the castle. Parvati was nearly at the main doors. "Yeah. I think so," Harry said, returning his gaze to Hermione.

Hermione looked at Harry, her eyebrows furrowed.

"What?" Harry asked, eyeing Hermione's expression.

Hermione looked at Harry as though confused. "I just thought..." she began. "Never mind. As long as you're happy, I'm happy for you," she said.

Ron shook his head. "I never saw this one coming." He clapped Harry on the back.

Harry grinned at Ron. "Well, Ron, some of us don't need_ years_ to see things coming."

Ron's mouth dropped open. He glanced frantically at Hermione and then stared daggers at Harry, blushing furiously.

Hermione stood looking from Ron to Harry and back again. She opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. She narrowed her eyes, "Is there something I should know?"

"No!" Ron blurted.

Hermione studied Ron and then glanced at Harry. "Well, let's go then." She turned and continued walking toward the castle.

Harry ducked as Ron swung his school bag at him.

"I'll get you for this," Ron muttered to Harry, following Hermione into the castle.

"Just thought you could use a little nudge, mate," Harry said grinning. "Just a little nudge."

* * *

Harry spent the rest of the day dodging Ron's angry glances, avoiding Hermione's questions, and returning Parvati's shy smiles. Parvati had sat beside Harry during double Transfiguration, Defense Against the Darks Arts, and Charms. Harry had struggled to keep his attention on his professor's lectures, and not let his mind stray to the morning's incident.

Harry tossed his bag on a table in the far corner of the library. It was one of his scheduled Study Hall times and he knew he had to take advantage of it.

Ron slouched down in the chair beside him. "What are you working on?"

Harry opened his school bag. "I think I'll finish my Augurey sketch first, then I'm going to start McGonagall's essay."

Ron smirked. "You didn't finish your sketch?"

Harry grinned. "No."

Ron smiled. "So where is Parvati? She hasn't left your side all day."

Harry pulled out his and Parvati's sketches from his bag and laid them on the table. "She's taking Divination."

Ron snorted. "Can't say I'll miss that class."

"Neither will I," Harry said smiling. He smoothed Parvati's drawing next to his and began sketching the birds. He looked up at Ron. "What are you working on?"

Ron stretched in his seat and then slouched down further. "I guess I'll work on McGonagall's essay. I'm not feeling very motivated though."

Harry grinned. "Need Hermione around, do you?"

Ron glared at Harry. "Don't start with that again."

Harry held up his hands and smiled. "I'm not starting anything."

Ron studied Harry. "So are you going to ask Parvati out?"

Harry looked at Ron. "Are you going to ask Hermione out?"

Ron's mouth dropped open and his ears burned red. "What makes you think I like Hermione, anyway?"

Harry looked at Ron seriously. "Don't you?"

Ron stared at his books on the table. He glanced at Harry and then stared across the library, deep in thought.

Harry returned to his sketch, not wanting to push Ron any more than he already had. He was thankful that Parvati had leant him her sketch; he finished his in no time. He packed away the sketches and pulled out a blank piece of parchment and his Transfiguration text. He flipped through the pages to find the information on Switching Spells.

"It would be suicide," Ron said flatly.

Harry looked up from his books. "Pardon?"

Ron turned his eyes to Harry. "Me asking out Hermione. It would be suicide."

Harry set down his quill. "Why do you say that?"

Ron smiled sadly, playing with the tattered edge of his textbook. "Well, first of all, she'd say no. Second of all, our friendship would be ruined, and third, I'd be so mortified I'd crawl into a hole to die. Simply put, it would be suicide."

Harry stared at Ron, fully appreciating for the first time how much Ron cared for Hermione. He suddenly felt extremely guilty for teasing Ron relentlessly.

"What if she said yes?" Harry said quietly.

Ron snorted. "Not likely."

Harry stared at Ron, not really knowing what to say. He thought he had seen indications that Hermione cared just as much for Ron as he did for her, but Harry couldn't be sure. Harry would never claim to understand girls, even the one he was best friends with.

Harry shrugged. "I guess you'll never know unless you ask."

Ron nodded and straightened himself in his chair, obviously wanting to drop the subject. "So what page are the Switching Spells on?"

Harry smiled at his friend, and pushed his textbook towards him. Harry did not envy Ron's position. Harry did not know how he himself would handle falling in love with his best friend.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 - Remembering Voldemort**

Harry left Gryffindor Tower shortly after seven o'clock Tuesday evening. He knew he had plenty of time to find Mr. Brooks's office, but seeing as he had never been there before, he thought he'd go a little early.

He followed the staircases down to the fourth floor and began scanning the portraits on the wall. He wasn't sure how he would know which painting was Nigel the Nitwit, but he had learned over time that such things usually made themselves apparent. So far, all of the paintings were either landscapes or magical creatures. Harry continued down the corridor until he came to a grey haired man in a double-peaked wizard's hat. The old man was trying to convince a very stern looking witch of something.

"Honestly, Evelyn, I don't know how it happened. They just disappeared!"

"Don't give me that same old line, Nigel. You know me better than that."

Harry smiled and walked to the door on the opposite wall of the portrait and knocked.

The door swung open and Mr. Brooks stood beaming at Harry.

"Ah, Harry, you're early. Come in and have a seat. Just let me clear these papers away."

Harry walked in to Mr. Brooks's office and felt his mouth drop open. The walls were plastered with pictures, charts and maps. Harry recognized many of the pictures to be various rooms within Hogwarts, as well as some outside shots of the castle. Handwritten notes were scrawled on several of the pictures. On the wall directly behind Mr. Brooks's desk, there was a chart labeled with the four houses of Hogwarts. In each column were pictures of students grouped according to year. Harry followed the Gryffindor column down to the sixth year grouping to find his own smiling face. On the wall to Harry's right, Mr. Brooks had pinned a map of the Hogwarts grounds. Again, there were several handwritten scrawls spread over it.

Harry sat down in the chair facing the desk. Mr. Brooks was busy scooping up the papers on his desk. He looked up at Harry and smiled. "I was just working on the duty schedule for the officers. It always seems that everyone needs the same days off," he said, shaking his head.

Harry smiled as he watched Mr. Brooks stuff the papers into the drawer in his desk. Mr. Brooks pulled out a fresh piece of parchment and settled himself in his chair. He clasped his hands together on the desk in front of him, and looked at Harry soberly. The light-hearted atmosphere of the office evaporated.

"Now, Harry. What we are about to discuss will not leave this room. I am asking you these questions for my information only. I will be recording our conversation, but I will put a secrecy charm on this parchment, which will allow only me to read it. I realize that some of the things I will be asking you will be difficult for you to answer. All I ask is that you try your best and trust me. Before we begin, do you have any questions?"

Harry shook his head.

Mr. Brooks nodded and dipped his quill into the jar of ink on his desk. He made a few scratches on the parchment and then looked up at Harry.

"Let's begin. What is your earliest memory of Voldemort?"

Harry swallowed. He knew what his earliest memory was, and it was also one of the most difficult. He ran his fingers through his hair nervously. He cleared his throat. "The day he killed my parents."

Mr. Brooks stared at Harry. "Sorry, did you say the day he killed your parents?"

Harry nodded.

Mr. Brooks raised his eyebrows. "How old were you at the time, Harry?"

"Just over one, I think."

Mr. Brooks nodded and furrowed his eyebrows together. "And you remember that?"

Harry paused. "Well, I didn't remember it until a couple years ago. It came back to me when a dementor came on the Hogwarts Express."

Mr. Brooks nodded and scribbled on his parchment. "Can you please tell me about your memory, Harry?"

Harry closed his eyes, feeling his throat constrict. He opened his eyes, but focused on the floor. "I can hear my dad yelling for my mum to take me and hide. He was going to try to hold Voldemort off. Then I can hear my mum screaming, and pleading for Voldemort to kill her instead of me. And I can hear Voldemort telling her to get out of the way ... and I can hear him laughing. Then there's a flash of green light... That's all I remember."

Mr. Brooks stared at Harry with a pained look. "And you heard this when you were facing a dementor?"

Harry nodded. "I hear it every time."

Mr. Brooks swallowed and shook his head. "Can you tell me what Voldemort said to your mother? Exactly?"

Harry closed his eyes and told Mr. Brooks as much as he could remember. They then moved on to Harry's encounter with Voldemort in his first year at Hogwarts. Mr. Brooks asked Harry to recount every minute detail, from the first time he met Professor Quirrell in the Leaky Cauldron, until he passed out after facing Voldemort when Harry had retrieved the Philosopher's Stone. Harry strained to remember everything, hoping that in some way, his memories would help Mr. Brooks. Harry had to admit, recounting the memories was rather unnerving.

"We'll stop there for tonight, Harry," Mr. Brooks said an hour and a half later. "Are you able to come back tomorrow night?"

Harry nodded. "Sure. Same time?"

Mr. Brooks nodded, surveying Harry. He clasped his hands together in front of him, and stared into Harry's eyes. "Harry, if my information is correct, your next encounter with Voldemort was connected to the Chamber of Secrets and an old diary. Is this true?"

Harry nodded. "Yes. Voldemort had created a diary when he was younger."

"I understand you know the young girl who discovered this diary?"

Harry felt a lump rise in his throat. _Ginny_. "Yes, sir. I know her."

Mr. Brooks studied Harry. "Do you think she would be willing to talk to me?"

Harry shrugged. "I could ask her if you like."

Mr. Brooks nodded. "Yes. See if she can accompany you tomorrow night. I believe her insight would be valuable as well."

Harry nodded, feeling sick. He did not wish for Ginny to have to relive her experiences of Voldemort possessing her.

"Very well. I'll see you tomorrow night, Harry."

"Good night, Mr. Brooks," Harry said, rising from his chair.

Harry left Mr. Brooks's office and dragged himself up the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower. He was feeling quite shaken from his meeting with Mr. Brooks and was dreading asking Ginny to go through the same thing. He was quite sure Ginny would agree to meet Mr. Brooks, which only made Harry feel worse.

He clambered through the portrait hole and into the common room. He saw Ron and Hermione wave at him from their seats next to the fireplace. Harry returned their wave, but did not move to join them. He scanned the room. If he was going to ask Ginny about meeting Mr. Brooks, he wanted to get it over with.

He spotted her. She was sitting at a table at the far end of the room, bent over a piece of parchment, scribbling furiously. Her long red hair was hanging forward, hiding her face from him.

Harry walked over to her. "Hey, Ginny."

Ginny jumped and whipped her head up to look at Harry. Her face broke into a smile. "Harry! Don't sneak up on me like that!" she said, grinning.

Harry smiled at her, and then glanced around at the other students sitting with Ginny. They were all staring at Harry curiously. Harry looked back to Ginny. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Can I talk to you for a minute?" Harry asked, nodding his head away from the table.

Ginny's eyebrows arched questioningly. "Sure," she said, rising from her chair.

Harry led her to a deserted corner of the common room. Harry didn't know how much, if anything, Ginny had talked to her friends about her experience with Voldemort. He did know that _he_ didn't want an audience for their talk.

"What's up?" Ginny asked.

"I had my first meeting with Mr. Brooks tonight," Harry began.

Ginny's forehead wrinkled with concern. "Did it go all right?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "It was okay. It was a little weird thinking about all that stuff again."

Ginny nodded. "I can imagine."

Harry's throat tightened. He frowned at Ginny. "I have something to ask you."

Ginny put her hand on Harry's arm, her eyes wide. "What is it Harry?"

Harry looked into Ginny's eyes. She looked so worried. He sighed. "I'm supposed to meet with Mr. Brooks again tomorrow night."

Ginny nodded, still holding on to Harry's arm.

"He wanted me to ask you to come as well," Harry said slowly.

Ginny's eyes widened as her hand dropped from Harry's arm. Harry continued, "He wants to ask you about Voldemort...about the Chamber of Secrets."

Ginny stared at the floor. Harry wanted to tell her to say no, to tell her that she didn't have to do it, but he could not find his voice. He stood silently beside her.

She raised her eyes to Harry with a determined look on her face. "Okay. At what time?"

Harry smiled sadly at her. "Seven-thirty."

Ginny nodded and forced a smile. Harry grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "I'll meet you here. We'll go down together. All right?"

Ginny squeezed his hand in return. "Okay, Harry."

Harry released her hand and watched her return to the table she was sitting at when he had come in. The students all leaned toward her, pummeling her with questions. Harry watched as Ginny pursed her lips and shook her head. She gathered her books and walked alone up the stairs to the girls' dormitory without a backwards glance.

* * *

Harry stood by the portrait hole in the Gryffindor common room Wednesday evening, waiting for Ginny. No one had seen much of her that day. Those that had seen her said she seemed withdrawn, not at all her usual self. Harry glanced around, wondering if Ginny had changed her mind. He almost hoped that she had.

As Harry looked around the room, his eyes fell on Parvati. She was sitting in one of the overstuffed armchairs next to Lavender. The two girls had their heads together as they pored over a textbook. Harry and Parvati had sat next to each other in each of their classes again. Harry had discovered that talking to Parvati was not nearly as difficult as he had expected, and that he rather enjoyed it. He didn't think that Ron minded being Hermione's partner in each class either.

Parvati looked up and met Harry's gaze. She smiled as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Harry grinned at her. He was considering walking over to talk to Parvati when a flash of red by the girls' staircase distracted Harry. He turned and saw Ginny rushing towards him. She looked tired and quite nervous.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked as Ginny approached him.

Ginny nodded and walked out the portrait hole. Harry followed her, feeling extrememly uneasy. They walked in silence.

Harry led them down the staircases to the fourth floor and along the corridor. He turned to face Ginny in front of Mr. Brooks's office door.

Ginny's face was extremely pale. She had dark circles under her eyes and her forehead was creased.

Harry placed his hand on Ginny's arm and looked down at her. "You don't have to do this Ginny."

Ginny looked up at Harry, her eyes shining brightly. "I'm scared. I've tried so hard to forget all of this," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Harry's heart broke. He hated that something he agreed to do had come to involve Ginny being hurt. He swallowed hard and repeated, "You don't have to do this."

Ginny shook her head and cleared her throat. She pulled herself up straight, raised her chin and looked determinedly into Harry's eyes. "Yes, I do." She turned and knocked on the door before Harry could say anything else.

Mr. Brooks opened the door and smiled down at Harry and Ginny. "Good evening. Please come in."

Harry and Ginny walked into the office as Mr. Brooks closed the door behind them. Ginny's eyes scanned the walls, her eyes wide.

Mr. Brooks walked behind his desk and held his hand to the two seats opposite him. "Please, have a seat."

Harry and Ginny moved silently to their chairs. Harry glanced at Ginny and noticed she was clasping her hands tightly in her lap.

Mr. Brooks nodded his head to Ginny. "Miss Weasley, I believe we met on the Hogwarts Express. You were in the prefect compartment, correct?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes, sir."

Mr. Brooks pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. He set them on his desk and looked at Ginny intently. "Miss Weasley, I will tell you what I have already told Harry. The things we discuss in this room stay in this room. I will record our conversation, but I will place a secrecy charm on this parchment so that no one else can read it. I acknowledge that the questions that I am going to ask you may be difficult to answer, but I ask that you answer them to the best of your ability."

Ginny nodded nervously.

"First, Miss Weasley, as I do not know anything about your experiences, I feel the need to ask ... would you prefer Harry to leave the room?"

Ginny's eyes shot to Harry. She shook her head and swallowed hard. "No, I want him to stay. I don't have anything to hide."

Harry felt his throat tighten. He reached over and grabbed Ginny's hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. She clasped onto his hand and didn't let go.

Mr. Brooks nodded. "Okay, Miss Weasley. Tell me when you first found Voldemort's diary."

Ginny took a deep breath. "Well, actually it was Tom Riddle's diary. At the time the diary was created, he had not yet become V-Voldemort." Harry felt Ginny shudder. She had never said Voldemort's name before.

Mr. Brooks nodded. Ginny continued, "I found the diary in my cauldron the first night at Hogwarts. I was unpacking my books and found it."

Mr. Brooks scribbled on his parchment. "And what did you do with it?"

"At first, I thought it must have been put in there by Fred or George -- they're my older brothers. They're always playing jokes on people. But they're harmless," Ginny explained, staring at the floor. "I didn't even consider it might be something I couldn't trust," Ginny said quietly.

"What happened next?"

"When I opened it, I saw the blank pages. I thought maybe it was written in invisible ink, or maybe there had been a charm placed on it. I decided to write my name in it ... you know, so no one would take it."

Mr. Brooks nodded, his quill scratching across the paper.

"When I wrote my name, the ink disappeared. Then... then there were someone else's words on the page."

Ginny swallowed and blinked her eyes quickly. She gripped Harry's hand tighter. "It was _him_."

Mr. Brooks nodded, looking at Ginny sympathetically. "Miss Weasley, I need to know what you wrote in the diary, and what Tom Riddle wrote back."

Ginny shrugged. "At first, it was just silly girl stuff. I complained about my brothers teasing me. I wrote about my worries about doing well in school." Ginny paused and grinned at Harry. "I declared my undying love for Harry Potter."

Harry felt his cheeks flush as he returned Ginny's grin.

Mr. Brooks cleared his throat. "How did Tom respond?"

Ginny returned her gaze to the floor. "He asked a lot of questions about Harry. I told him all about Harry and what he had been through. Of course, I never questioned why he asked me about Harry. I just thought he was being caring. He was sympathetic and said everything I needed to hear. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. I could tell him anything and knew he wouldn't laugh at me or judge me. He was like a best friend," Ginny concluded quietly.

Harry looked at Ginny sadly, wishing he had been that friend she needed back then.

"And then, things changed," Ginny said, her voice trembling. "I started having blocks of time that I didn't remember where I was or what I was doing. I would black out and then come to in a completely different part of the castle than I remembered last being. When I confided this to Tom, he reassured me that I was just imagining things. He told me that I worried so much about school and fitting in that I had simply exhausted myself." Ginny paused, staring intently at the floor. She then continued, her voice cracking, "And I believed him. I was feeling so tired, and I felt so alone. He was the only one who really knew me. I put my trust in him and believed him." Ginny's eyes shot up angrily to Mr. Brooks. "It took awhile for me to realize he was just using me."

Mr. Brooks stared at Ginny sadly. "Tell me about that."

Ginny returned her gaze to the floor. "I began to notice how weak I felt after writing in the diary. It was like each time I wrote in it, I left a part of myself behind. And I couldn't ignore the facts anymore. Each time I had a blackout, there had been another student attack. I couldn't explain the paint all over my hands, or the feathers all over my robes. That's when I tried to get rid of the diary. I threw it in the toilet in Moaning Myrtles' bathroom. I was horrified when I discovered that Harry had found it."

Mr. Brooks's eyebrows knitted together. "Why is that?"

"I was scared Tom would tell Harry about my crush on him. I would have been mortified," Ginny replied.

Mr. Brooks turned to Harry. "Tell me about your experiences with the diary, Harry."

Harry explained how it had taken him some time to discover the secrets of the diary. He then explained how Tom had pulled Harry into the diary and showed him the memory of Tom finding Hagrid with Aragog.

"So, in the memory, he gave you no indication that he was actually the heir of Slytherin?" Mr. Brooks asked.

Harry shook his head. "No. I didn't know that until I went into the chamber."

"What happened to the diary?"

"It was stolen from my dormitory," Harry said, glancing at Ginny.

"I stole it," Ginny said quietly. "Like I said, I didn't want Tom to tell Harry about the things I wrote."

"Please continue, Miss Weasley."

Ginny took a deep, shaky breath. "Tom made quick work of me when I got the diary back. It wasn't long before he took me into the Chamber of Secrets."

"What do you remember?"

Ginny shuddered. "I really don't remember anything during the times that V-Voldemort possessed me." Ginny began wringing her hands, apparently unaware that Harry's was still intertwined with them. He winced slightly, but did not pull away. "I mean, I knew something had happened. I knew I didn't feel right." Ginny gulped. "I felt ... violated."

Mr. Brooks and Harry stared at Ginny in silence.

"That last time, though, was different. Deep down I knew he wasn't going to let me go. The darkness I was in seemed to get deeper and deeper. I felt my mind and my body slipping away. I was helpless. He had me. I knew he had me, and there was nothing I could do about it."

Ginny's trembling voice seemed to reverberate off the walls. Harry had put his head in his free hand, his breath shallow and strained. He had never heard Ginny talk about her experience; it was almost too much for him to bear.

Ginny continued, "The next thing I knew, I woke up in the chamber with Harry beside me and Tom was gone."

Mr. Brooks set down his quill and studied Ginny. "Miss Weasley, you are one of the bravest people I have ever met. Not only did you survive such a terrible experience, but you came here today to share it with a complete stranger. I admire you."

Ginny shook her head. "If it helps at all..."

"I assure you, what you have told me has opened my eyes greatly. I appreciate you coming tonight." Mr. Brooks turned to Harry. "Harry, I'd like to ask you a few more questions about your time in the chamber, but I think we have done enough for tonight. It would please me if you could escort Miss Weasley back to her room."

Harry nodded. "When would you like me to come back?"

"I believe Professor Pandoran was hoping to meet with you tomorrow night, and I would hate to bother you on a Friday night. How about Saturday? One o'clock?"

Harry nodded. "Sure, Mr. Brooks. I'll see you Saturday."

Mr. Brooks stood and opened the door for them. He held out his hand to Ginny. "Thank you again, Miss Weasley."

Ginny shook his hand and nodded.

Harry and Ginny stepped into the hallway in silence. They had walked several feet when Ginny stopped and turned to Harry. "Harry --"

Harry looked down at Ginny. His heart ached as he saw the tears in Ginny's eyes that she was fighting so hard to hold back.

Ginny brushed a few escaped tears angrily off her face. "How can he still make me feel like this?"

"It's okay, Ginny." Harry said, brushing her hair away from her face. "You don't always have to be strong."

Harry watched Ginny struggle with herself, willing herself not to cry. Ginny looked into Harry's eyes and saw sympathy and understanding. She let out a whimper, and then rushed into Harry's arms. Harry held her close to him, resting his chin on top of her head. Ginny cried, allowing herself to feel the horror that she had held in for so long.

Harry did not know how long they had stood there. He did not really care. Ginny had been there for him when he so badly needed someone, he knew he would stay there forever if that was what she needed.

Eventually, Ginny gently pushed herself away from Harry and wiped her face with her fingers.

"Sorry about that," Ginny said, avoiding Harry's eyes.

"Don't be sorry," Harry said softly. "Are you going to be okay?"

Ginny lifted her puffy red eyes to meet Harry's gaze. She nodded. "Thanks for being there for me, Harry. I don't think I could have made it through without you."

Harry gave Ginny a small smile. "I'll always be here for you, Gin."

Ginny studied Harry and then grinned. "You are one of a kind, Harry Potter."

Harry smiled at Ginny and then placed a hand on his chest and raised his eyebrows. In an air of faked arrogance, he replied, "Frankly, I don't know how you ever managed to get over me."

Ginny grinned at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Who said I did?"

Ginny turned and walked down the corridor, leaving Harry gaping after her.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 – The Training Room**

Harry lied in his bed, replaying Ginny's words over and over in his mind: _Who said I did? _Her voice echoed in his head as her brown eyes swam in front of him teasingly. _She couldn't have been serious_, Harry told himself, _she's dating Dean. She can play a joke as well as Fred and George. She was joking. She _had _to be_.

Harry had fallen asleep with this thought in his mind. When he woke the next morning, he felt confident that Ginny had indeed been joking, and was reassured shortly thereafter upon seeing Dean and Ginny walk hand-in-hand into the Great Hall for breakfast. Harry smiled a good morning to them both and mentally acknowledged Ginny for a joke well played.

Harry was sitting at the long Gryffindor table across from Ron and Hermione. A voice startled him from his thoughts.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter."

Harry turned around and saw Professor Pandoran standing behind him.

"Morning, Professor."

"If you are able, I would like to meet with you tonight. Are you free?" Professor Pandoran asked.

Harry nodded. "Yes. Mr. Brooks told me last night that you wanted to see me."

Professor Pandoran inclined her head. "Excellent. Can you meet me at seven o'clock?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Good. Meet me in my office, and we'll move to the training room from there," Professor Pandoran replied.

Harry stared at the retreating back of Professor Pandoran, wondering what kind of work they'd be doing that night.

Hermione leaned forward, her eyebrows arched. "There's a training room, Harry?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. Pandoran hasn't really talked to me about the actual training yet. So far, I'm as much in the dark as you."

* * *

Harry pulled on his trainers and glanced at the clock beside his bed. 6:55 P.M.. He stuffed his wand in his pocket and ran down the stairs two at a time.

He waved hastily in the direction he knew Ron and Hermione to be, and crossed the common room quickly. He was a few feet away from the portrait hole when he heard someone call his name. He spun around and saw Parvati walking towards him.

Harry smiled. "Hi, Parvati."

"Hi," she said, her eyes twinkling. "Where are you rushing off to?"

"I have to meet Professor Pandoran."

Parvati's forehead wrinkled as her eyebrows came together. "Why?"

Harry shifted on his feet. In all of the conversations he had had with Parvati that week, he had not told her of his work with their professor. He didn't think now was the time either. He shrugged his shoulders. "She's asked for my help with something."

Parvati raised an eyebrow. "Being mysterious, are you?" she said grinning. "Oh well. I was just going to ask you if you wanted to work together on that Potions homework, but I guess you're busy."

Harry looked at Parvati and saw her disappointment. He frowned. "Yeah, sorry." He shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling extremely awkward. He cleared his throat. "We could get together this weekend to work on it. It's not due until Monday."

Parvati's face brightened and a smile spread across her face. "Okay," she said shyly.

Harry grinned as he looked into her upturned face. "So, I'll see you tomorrow in class?"

Parvati nodded. "Tomorrow."

Harry planted a kiss on Parvati's cheek, then turned and went through the portrait hole, leaving a very rosy-cheeked Parvati behind.

Professor Pandoran was waiting for Harry outside of her office when Harry arrived. She smiled at Harry. "Follow me, Mr. Potter."

Harry followed Professor Pandoran in silence. She, however, talked non-stop as they walked.

"We'll be breaking in the training room tonight. We've been working on it for quite some time. Dumbledore had all of the professors contributing their time and skills. Even had them give up some of their summer holidays. I expect a few of them may show up tonight to see their hard work in action. I don't know if I've seen anyone as excited as Professor Flitwick. He's quite mad, actually. I imagine McGonagall and Snape will make an appearance as well. Ah yes, look. There they are waiting for us."

Harry and Professor Pandoran arrived at the end of a long corridor on the main floor. They had passed the classroom that was transformed last year to accommodate Firenze, a centaur, who had taken over the post of Divination teacher. They had continued past Firenze's classroom, to the very end of the corridor. Harry saw Professors Flitwick, McGonagall, Snape and Dumbledore standing outside of a dark, tall, oak door.

"Good evening," Professor Dumbledore said, bowing his head to Harry and Professor Pandoran. "As you can see, we're a little anxious."

Professor Pandoran bowed her head to the four professors. "I was just telling Mr. Potter that we might expect you. Shall we go in?"

Professor Dumbledore held his hand out and stepped aside, allowing Professor Pandoran to approach the door. She took out her wand, whispered a quick succession of incantations under her breath, and then tapped the door lightly with her wand. The door clicked open, and the group of professors and Harry stepped inside. The door swung closed behind them with a soft click.

Harry scanned the room and raised his eyebrows. The room was rather … unremarkable. It was nearly empty, except for a stretch of cabinets along one wall. The marble floors and walls were gleaming brightly, reflecting the lights from the torches on the wall. Harry stared at the room, wondering why it took a collection of professors hours of their time to prepare, as far as Harry could tell, a completely empty room. The only remarkable thing about the room was its size; it was at least five times the size of the Great Hall.

"Well, Mr. Potter, I'll need to explain a few things to you," Professor Pandoran said. She turned to Dumbledore, "I hope you don't mind waiting a few moments longer?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Not at all."

Professor Pandoran smiled. "Very well. Shall I make it a bit more comfortable? I prefer the outdoors myself."

Professor Pandoran flicked her wand and said, "Grounds, number four."

Harry blinked his eyes hard, sure that he had to be imagining things. He suddenly found himself in the Hogwarts grounds, near the beech tree beside the lake. He felt a warm breeze on his face as he stared at the orange sun setting behind the mountains. Harry whipped his head around in all directions. _Was he suddenly outside? _But he couldn't be. The warmth of the setting sun was more indicative of a summer evening. Harry knew that September evenings were much cooler, and the sun should be much lower on the horizon, if not completely set.

Professor Flitwick startled Harry from his confusion by clapping his hands excitedly. Professor Flitwick was bouncing on his feet. "Excellent! Simply marvelous! Perfect!"

"Ah, this is one of my favourites, Medusa," Professor Dumbledore replied, sighing. He turned to Snape, McGonagall, and Flitwick. "Let's give Medusa and Harry some time. The shade of that beech tree is calling me."

Professor Dumbledore winked at the stunned Harry, and then led Snape, Flitwick and McGonagall toward the beech tree. Harry watched as Dumbledore conjured four reclining lawn chairs under the tree.

Harry turned to Professor Pandoran, his mouth hanging open. He had so many questions that he did not know where to begin.

Pandoran smiled at Harry. She conjured two chairs and indicated for Harry to have a seat. Harry moved robotically to the chair, still too confused to speak.

"Welcome to the training room, Mr. Potter," Professor Pandoran said smiling.

Harry raised his eyebrows and cleared his throat. "So … we _are_ still in the castle?"

Pandoran nodded and glanced around. "Yes. I think I'll start my explanation from the very beginning."

Harry stared at Professor Pandoran, waiting.

"When the idea was first put forward about a battle training course at Hogwarts, there were quite a few people opposed to it. However, the Ministry was adamant. Their fear of what our future holds had them believing that everyone will be involved in this war. As a result, the Ministry decided that the wizarding world must prepare its youth for the struggles they will face in the not too distant future."

"Professor Dumbledore insisted that if there were to be a training course in his school, it had to be realistic. He wanted the students to have an authentic experience that would prepare them for real battle. That is how this room came to be."

Harry looked around, thinking that this peaceful setting was the last thing that made him think of battle training.

Harry returned his gaze to Professor Pandoran and realized she had been watching him. She smiled at him sadly.

"It is not very often that we know when and where an attack is going to occur. It could happen anywhere, any time. Even on a warm summer evening. Because of this, we are going to provide the students with a multitude of experiences, so they may be prepared for an attack under any conditions."

"We've developed a variety of settings for the training room, Mr. Potter. This setting is but one among dozens."

Harry stared at Professor Pandoran, trying to absorb everything she was saying.

She surveyed Harry. "Perhaps it would be best to show you." She turned and called to the four professors lounging under the beech tree. "May I interrupt you? I'd like to illustrate to Mr. Potter the wonders of this room."

Professor Flitwick squeaked and jumped out of his chair. Dumbledore and McGonagall rose and smiled at Flitwick. Snape scowled.

"By all means, Medusa," Professor Dumbledore said, his eyes sparkling.

Professor Pandoran and Harry rose from their chairs. Professor Pandoran flicked her wand, causing the two chairs to disappear. She then turned to Harry. "I'll just go through several of the settings so you can get an idea of our options. Are you ready?"

Harry nodded, still quite unsure what to expect.

Professor Pandoran flicked her wand as she said, "Hogsmeade, number one."

In a blink of an eye, Harry found himself in front of the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. He stared, open-mouthed at the accuracy of every light post, storefront, window, tree and crack in the sidewalk.

"Classroom, one," Professor Pandoran said flicking her wand. Harry was now in Professor McGonagall's classroom.

Flick. Professor Pandoran's classroom.

Flick. The Great Hall.

Flick. Greenhouse Three.

Flick. Diagon Alley.

Flick. The Leaky Cauldron.

Flick. The Forbidden Forest.

Flick. The empty classroom.

Harry gaped as his surroundings were repeatedly changed. It was truly unbelievable.

"Each week, we'll use a different setting for training," Professor Pandoran explained, leaving the empty classroom around them. "We will train the students through obstacles and teach them to not only use their magical skills, but to learn how to use their surroundings as protection as well."

"Students will be grouped according to year. Fifth years will train on Tuesday evenings, sixth years – Wednesdays, and seventh years – Thursdays. Mr. Potter, your individual training will be on Mondays."

Harry nodded.

"The training will be two hours long. The first thirty minutes will be a classroom session in which students will review and learn a variety of jinxes, hexes and spells. The next half-hour will be physical training. A battle will require more than wits and magical ability, therefore a physically fit body is necessary. After all, the difference between failure and success may simply be outrunning the opponent."

"The final hour will see this room put to the test. Students will be randomly divided into two groups at the beginning of each session. The two groups will battle each other in one of these settings. You, Mr. Potter, will lead one of the groups, and I will lead the other.

"Now, obviously, we can't have students being injured in this process. As a result, Professor Snape has developed a potion that will act as an invisible shield. The spells will still hit the students, but the shield will absorb the spell leaving the student fallen, but unharmed."

Harry swallowed and glanced at Professor Snape. Memories of Harry's first Potions class this year made Harry very hesitant to drink any more potions from Snape.

"Shall we demonstrate, Professor Snape?" Professor Pandoran asked.

Snape nodded curtly and strode to the stretch of cabinets along the wall. He reached in and grabbed a tray of flasks from the cupboard. Professor Pandoran reached for one of the flasks and drained the cherry-red liquid. Harry had to bite the insides of his cheeks to prevent himself from screaming for her not to drink it. Professor Pandoran shivered slightly, and then turned to face Snape.

"All right, Severus. What are you going to hit me with?" Professor Pandoran asked.

Harry wanted to protest. Not only was he uncomfortable with Snape jinxing anyone, but it seemed so wrong for this frail, elderly professor to place herself at the mercy of Snape. Furthermore, Harry could see no evidence of any kind of protective shield.

Snape eyed Professor Pandoran, then flicked his wand, "Stupefy!"

Horrified, Harry watched Professor Pandoran fall to the floor. He ran forward to the crumpled figure. Professor Pandoran was lying on her side with her eyes closed.

Professor Snape stepped next to Harry, pointed his wand at Professor Pandoran, and said, "Ennervate."

Professor Pandoran's eyes fluttered open. She smiled as her eyes focused on Harry, who was still leaning over her. "What an unusual sensation," she mused, as Harry helped her to her feet.

"You're okay, then?" Harry asked, looking worriedly at Professor Pandoran.

She smiled and patted Harry's cheek with her hand. "You worry too much, Mr. Potter. To ease your mind, why don't you give it a try?"

Harry looked hesitantly at the tray of flasks.

"Go on, Harry," Professor Dumbledore said.

Harry eyed the group of professors around him. Other than Snape, who was sneering, his professors were smiling at him encouragingly.

Harry picked up one of the flasks and downed the liquid. He felt a brief numbing sensation, and then felt … nothing. He turned to face Professor Pandoran, but was unexpectedly hit by a spell. He felt his body go rigid. Harry was sure he had been hit with a body-binding spell, but he thought he should feel different than this. Harry saw, rather than felt, his body falling backwards. His eyes, frozen open, watched as the wall met the ceiling, and then saw nothing but ceiling. He lay flat on his back, unable to move or speak. He felt as though he was floating in water, or that he was on a pillow of clouds, enveloped in a bubble that blocked out all sound. He watched as his professors leaned over him with amused looks on their faces. He then saw Dumbledore say the counter spell. Harry's body seemed to melt onto the ground as he regained his senses. He pushed himself up and grinned.

"That was really strange," he replied.

"Sorry I hit you when you weren't expecting it, Harry," Professor Dumbledore said smiling. "I wanted it to be realistic."

Harry grinned and nodded.

"Well then, professors. Shall we have a trial run?" Professor Pandoran asked.

Harry's eyebrows rose as he watched his professors nod enthusiastically.

"Very well," Professor Pandoran said. "Professor Dumbledore, I'll ask you to lead one team this evening, and I'll lead the other." She walked over to the cabinets and pulled out a small trunk. She tapped the lid with her wand and said, "Two."

The lid sprang open, revealing two badges: one red, one green. She picked up the green badge and pinned it to her robes. Instantly, her robes transformed into a set of jet-black robes with a green stripe down both sides. She tossed the red badge to Dumbledore, who pinned it on his robe, and grinned as he watched his blue robes turn black and a red stripe race down the sides.

Professor Pandoran closed the trunk. "All right, Snape, Flitwick, McGonagall and Potter. Come get your badges."

One by one, they opened the trunk and pulled out a badge. The trunk split them evenly between the two colours, transforming their robes and thus creating the two opposing teams. Dumbledore had Harry and Flitwick on his team, while Pandoran had Snape and McGonagall.

"Any requests for setting, Dumbledore?" Professor Pandoran asked.

Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "How about my office?"

Pandoran smiled. "That gives you quite the advantage, but I think we're up to the challenge." She waved her wand and said, "Headmaster, one."

Dumbledore's office materialized in front of them. Harry noticed that Professor Pandoran and her team were not in the room. Dumbledore gathered Flitwick and Harry to his side. "All right team. Use whatever you need to avoid them. The space is small, but there are tables and chairs that can be used as barriers. If they can't see you, they can't hit you. Only take a shot when it's clear to. Wait … I think I hear them coming."

Harry heard a noise on the other side of Professor Dumbledore's office door. The door suddenly burst open, shattering into pieces. Harry briefly saw Snape, McGonagall and Pandoran before he dove behind Dumbledore's desk as a shower of spells fell around him.

Harry felt panic rising inside of him. The last time he was dodging spells was in the Department of Mysteries. The memories of watching his friends being hurt rushed through his mind. It was as though he were back there again: the taunting laugh of Bellatrix Lestrange seemed to echo around him, and the red slits that were Voldemort's eyes flashed in front of him. Then suddenly, all he could see was Sirius falling into the black veil. Harry could not move. He could not break his mind from his memories. Dumbledore's office was being destroyed around him, but Harry did not even notice. As far as he knew, he was in the depths of the Department of Mysteries, seeing Sirius for the last time. Sirius, who had come to help Harry, was falling over and over again. Harry squeezed his eyes shut. _It was Voldemort's fault, not mine. If it wasn't for the prophecy … _

Harry's eyes flew open as the words of the prophecy played in his mind. He had not allowed himself to think about the prophecy for some time now. But the reality of it now rained over him. He had to face Voldemort on his own. If he were going to succeed, he would have to be prepared. He could not let his memories get the better of him. That's what this room was for, not only to train the students, but to train the only one who could vanquish the Dark Lord. This room was for him, the Boy Who Lived.

Harry was not going to let it go to waste.

* * *

"Tell me again, Harry," Ron exclaimed gleefully. "Tell me how you took Snape down!"

Harry had hurried back to the Gryffindor common room exhilarated after his training session. He and his professors had battled hard. Harry's determination had paid off. After twenty minutes of battling, Harry had succeeded in taking down his first victim: none other than Professor Snape. Harry had recounted his evening to Ron, Ginny and Hermione, who had been pouring over their homework at a table in the common room.

"Honestly, Ron!" Hermione scolded. "Harry's told you three times already!"

Ron laughed. "I just can't believe it! What did Snape say after?"

Harry shrugged, still smiling. "He didn't' say anything. When he was revived, he just stood up and left the room without a word to anyone."

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "I can't believe him! Snape can't even acknowledge that you got him fair and square, Harry. He just can't stand to have his poor ego squashed. How pathetic."

"Ginny!" Hermione scolded. "You shouldn't talk about your professor that way!"

Ginny rolled her eyes, and then mumbled, "Sorry, Hermione."

Hermione was appeased. She turned to Harry, intrigued, "That room sounds fascinating, though. I can't even imagine the spells they would have done to create it. It must have taken _ages_.

Harry nodded. "It's really amazing."

"What was Professor Pandoran like in battle?" Ginny asked.

Harry smiled. "I didn't see her much, but from what I could tell, she is really talented. I would never have guessed that she could move that quickly. She and Dumbledore were quite a match. I was watching them when McGonagall got me."

Ron shook his head in disbelief. "It's so strange. You've been in battle against three of our professors, Harry. You could actually jinx them and not get in trouble for it. Ah, I can only dream …" Ron said, placing his hand over his heart.

"Ronald!" Hermione hissed.

Ron grinned at Hermione. "Oh, come on Hermione. You have to admit there's been times when you would have loved to hex Snape."

Hermione frowned at Ron and crossed her arms.

Ron leaned over and nudged her. "Come on, admit it. With your brains, I'm sure you've at least _imagined_ trying out some brilliant spell you've read about."

Hermione blushed as a smile tugged at her lips. She turned to Ron, "Well, there is a spell or two I've thought of using on _you_."

Ron grinned as Harry and Ginny laughed. Harry caught Ron's eye and raised an eyebrow. Ron blushed and returned to his textbook in front of him.

Ginny examined the roll of parchment in front of her. "I'm willing to admit that after this essay McGonagall gave us, I've imagined trying my bat-bogey hex on her."

Ron and Hermione nodded sympathetically. Harry stared at his three best friends. He knew that they had been working for at least two hours and they didn't look to be anywhere near finished. He sighed and rose to get his school bag from his room. He was going to have a late night.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16 – It Starts**

Harry felt a hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently. He was enjoying a deep sleep, although he could not figure out why his pillow was so hard or why he had forgotten to take off his glasses. They were pressing painfully into his nose and temple. He groaned as he felt the hand shake him again.

"Mr. Potter," the hushed voice said.

Harry pried his eyes open and blinked hard, trying to bring his gaze into focus. Peering into his face was Professor McGonagall.

Harry pushed himself up and realized he had fallen asleep in the common room. He looked down at the table and saw a pool of drool blurring the words he had written on a piece of parchment.

"Sorry, Professor," Harry mumbled, wiping the corner of his mouth on his sleeve. "I'll go up to bed now."

Professor McGonagall looked at Harry sadly. "I'm afraid not, Mr. Potter. I've just come to wake you."

Harry looked up at McGonagall in surprise. Concern was etched in her face and Harry felt his stomach plummet. Something had happened.

"What is it, Professor?" Harry asked, struggling to find his voice.

McGonagall pressed her lips into a thin line. She suddenly looked much older. "Please go up and get Mr. Weasley. I will meet you down here after I wake Miss Granger and Miss Weasley. I imagine they would like to know as well."

Harry's mouth had gone dry. He nodded to his professor and went quickly to his dormitory. He pulled back the hangings around Ron's bed and shook Ron's shoulder.

"Ron!" Harry whispered urgently.

Ron groaned and swatted his hand at Harry.

"Ron!" Harry repeated, shaking Ron a little harder.

"Geroff!" Ron groaned, pulling the covers over his head.

Harry yanked the covers off. "Get up, Ron!" Harry hissed, thinking desperately for something to convince Ron. "Hermione's waiting for you."

Ron sat up so quickly that he nearly cracked his head into Harry's. If Harry hadn't been so worried about the expression on McGonagall's face, he would have laughed relentlessy at Ron. Instead, he grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him off his bed.

"Where are we going?" Ron mumbled, fumbling with his robe.

"McGonagall's downstairs. She's got something to tell us."

Ron was suddenly fully awake. His eyes widened as he looked at Harry.

"What did she say?" Ron asked hesitantly.

Harry shook his head. "Nothing yet, other than for me to wake you up. She's gone to get Hermione and Ginny."

Ron followed Harry down the stairs. The common room was empty.

Ron ran his fingers through his hair and looked at Harry. "What do you reckon happened?"

Harry's stomach twisted. He shook his head, saying hoarsely, "I don't know."

The sound of footsteps on the stairs leading to the girls' dormitory caused Harry and Ron to stare at them anxiously. Professor McGonagall appeared, followed by Hermione and Ginny, both looking rather frazzled.

"Come. Sit down," Professor McGonagall said, motioning for the chairs in front of the empty fireplace. She walked over and flicked her wand, causing a roaring fire to appear instantly.

Hermione, Ron, and Ginny sat down on the couch, while McGonagall and Harry settled into two of the armchairs. The students stared at their professor silently.

Professor McGonagall clasped her hands in her lap and peered at them gravely. "Professor Dumbledore asked me to come and give you the news. He didn't think it appropriate for you to find out from the _Daily Prophet_."

McGonagall paused, surveying her students. "There's been an attack in London. The casualties have not yet been determined. However, both Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt are missing."

Harry doubled over, feeling as though a sledgehammer had been swung heavily into his stomach. He heard Hermione and Ginny gasp. Harry stared at the floor, willing himself not to vomit. He raised his eyes to his professor.

"What happened?" he croaked.

Professor McGonagall pursed her lips. "I can't tell you much. Shacklebolt and Tonks were following a lead the Ministry received on Death Eater activity. Apparently, it was a trap."

Harry held his head in his hands, the enormity of the situation overwhelming him. He took a deep breath. "It has started then."

McGonagall nodded her head slowly. "Yes, Mr. Potter. It appears it has."

The second war had officially begun. Perhaps the incident on Harry's birthday had been a warning, although Harry wouldn't put it past Voldemort to think it just a game. However, a deliberate attack, a staged leak of information, and a calculated trap … the war had definitely begun.

Professor McGonagall stared into the fire. "I know the four of you were acquainted with Shacklebolt and Tonks. I imagine you're quite close to Tonks especially, having spent most of the summer with her."

Harry's thoughts moved to Remus. He must be worried sick, and he was all alone at Grimmauld Place. Harry stood up. "I've got to go see Remus. He's all alone … he'll be –"

Professor McGonagall raised her hand. "Don't worry, Harry. Professor Dumbledore has gone to be with Remus."

Harry' body shook involuntarily. His knees felt weak as his stomach continued to tie itself into knots. He returned to his seat.

Professor McGonagall stood and addressed the four students. "I imagine it would do me no good to tell you to get some sleep." She paused, looking at them sadly. "I will let you know as soon as we hear anything." She swept out of the common room, leaving Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione stricken.

Harry raised his eyes as he heard a small whimper from Hermione. She had her face in her hands as she cried softly. Ron put his arm around her and pulled her into his chest.

Harry glanced at Ginny. She had her arms wrapped around herself as she stared into the fire, her expression blank. Her face was pale and her jaw was clenched. Harry walked over and kneeled in front of her, looking into her eyes. She blinked her eyes and then focused them on Harry. She opened her mouth and whispered, "Tonks."

Harry nodded as he felt his breath catch in his throat.

Ginny's eyes filled with tears. She leaned forward as Harry wrapped his arms around her. Harry's mind raced as he held Ginny, the unknown seeming worse than an absolute truth. Not knowing where Shacklebolt and Tonks were allowed his mind to imagine horrible fates. Harry hoped his imagination was nowhere near the truth.

* * *

Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione sat red-eyed and somber at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. They pushed their breakfast around their plates absent-mindedly, their thoughts far from Hogwarts. The Great Hall was nearly empty as it was still quite early. They had not returned to bed, but sat silently comforting each other until morning. They had dressed quickly and quietly, and walked to the Great Hall together.

Harry pushed his plate away, realizing that trying to eat was futile. His stomach had not stopped its twisting, and adding food to the mix was not a good idea.

"You should eat, Harry," Hermione said automatically.

Harry raised his eyes to her. She was staring at the tabletop, her plate untouched. She met Harry's gaze and attempted a small smile. Her bottom lip trembled.

"I hate not knowing!" she whispered frantically.

Harry reached his hand across the table and set it on top of Hermione's. Ron lifted his hand and rubbed Hermione's back soothingly. Ginny set her hand on top of Harry's. They sat in silence, waiting.

The Great Hall filled around them. The cheerful chatter of students seemed misplaced. Harry felt like yelling at everyone to be quiet, but realized that they did not know. No one had told them that the war had begun.

"Hey, Ginny! There you are!"

Dean strode across the hall, smiling broadly. His smile faded as he approached the group.

"What's up with you lot? You all look as though your best friend has died."

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny glared at Dean, who was oblivious to the inappropriateness of his comment.

"What's going on?" he asked.

The hoot of owls caused everyone's focus to be diverted. They watched silently as hundreds of owls swooped through the air. A large brown owl landed in front of Hermione, carrying the _Daily Prophet._

Hermione stared at the owl apprehensively. It was not until it nipped her sharply on the hand that she jumped and slipped a coin into its leather pouch, and untied the newspaper from its leg.

The newspaper unfurled in front of them. A large picture covered the front page. Harry felt nauseous. Glittering in the sky above a muggle-filled street was a distinguishable Dark Mark.

Hermione pulled the newspaper in front of her and read aloud:

_Attack leaves Ten Dead, Dozens Injured_

_Our own Daily Prophet correspondent, Alice McNab, has confirmed the shocking news of a Death Eater attack in the heart of London late last night. McNab arrived at the London location early this morning to find the street in ruins._

_"I have not seen devastation like this in years," McNab reported. "It reminded me of the years when You-Know-Who was at the height of his power."_

_While there have been no confirmed sightings of You-Know-Who since his appearance at the Ministry of Magic this spring, the attack this morning is reminiscent of his past actions of nearly fifteen years ago._

_"There is no indication why the Death Eaters chose this street as their target," McNab reported. "The area is a quiet neighbourhood, populated mainly by muggles."_

_The Ministry has not confirmed the rumours that several Ministry aurors were on duty in the area at the time of the attack. Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, has refused to comment on the incident… _

Hermione pushed the paper away from her and put her face in her hands.

"Well, of course Fudge wouldn't comment," Ron said bitterly. "He'd actually have to take a stand."

Dean sat down beside Ginny. "Did you already know about this?" he asked quietly.

Ginny nodded, glancing at the others. "McGonagall woke us to tell us."

Dean frowned. "Why?"

Ginny shifted in her seat, unsure of what information to give Dean. None of the students knew about the Order of the Phoenix, never mind the connection that Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had with it. Ginny swallowed. "We know one of the aurors that was there. She's a friend of the family … and she's … missing."

Dean's face fell. "I'm sorry, Ginny."

Ginny nodded as she leaned stiffly on the table. Harry looked at Ginny sympathetically, knowing full well the difficulty of keeping secrets.

Hermione raised her head from her hands. "This didn't really tell us anything new," she said, frowning at the paper. "We're no further ahead now than we were hours ago."

They stared at the image of the street in ruins with the Dark Marks dancing overhead on the front of the newspaper. Whatever solace they were hoping the newspaper would bring, they had not found it. Instead, they were filled with more dread, more anxiety, and more frustration.

Hermione crumpled the paper in her hand and threw it across the table. Harry stared at Hermione, stunned. Other than the time she stormed out of Divination class, Hermione was usually so level-headed. It was rare for her to show such frustration.

Ron reached over and grabbed Hermione's clenched fist with his hand. He squeezed her hand gently. "It will be okay, Hermione," Ron said softly.

She turned her eyes on him, her voice shrill. "How do you know? How can everything be okay?" Her eyes burned into his, filled with anger, fear and pain.

Ron shook his head and said quietly, "I don't know. I just have to believe it."

Hermione sobbed and wrapped her arms around Ron's neck. Ron stroked Hermione's back, whispering words of comfort softly into her ear.

Dean seemed unnerved by Hermione's behaviour. Harry heard Dean whisper to Ginny. "So this is quite serious, then, this attack?"

Ginny turned to face Dean. "Are you seriously asking me that question?"

Harry swallowed. If Dean had never experienced a Weasley temper before, he was about to.

Dean seemed to be frozen in his seat, unsure whether he'd be better off replying or staying quiet. Ginny didn't give him the opportunity.

"Did you hear the headline, Dean? Ten muggles were killed. KILLED, Dean! And dozens more injured. V-voldemort's back, Death Eaters are attacking innocent people, and you're asking if the situation is serious? What's wrong with you?"

Dean stared at Ginny open-mouthed. Ginny's face was red and her eyes glinted dangerously.

"Excuse me. I need to be alone." Ginny stood and stormed out of the Great Hall, leaving Dean gaping after her.

Harry's lessons were particularly painful that morning. Snape seemed exceedingly hateful towards Harry during his Potions lesson. Harry imagined it had to do with the events in the training room, but he couldn't be sure. Snape's behaviour did not go unnoticed by Harry's fellow classmates, especially when Snape took twenty points from Gryffindor for Harry's quill scratching too loudly as he wrote. Parvati had opened her mouth to protest, but Harry put his hand on her arm and shook his head. Snape didn't need excuses to deduct more points from Gryffindor.

The rest of the morning was only a slight improvement over Potions. Flitwick had assigned another essay to be done over the weekend, dealing with very complicated shield charms. Even Care of Magical Creatures was a nightmare. Harry had not noticed when the rain had started, but by the time they were heading to Hagrid's hut for their class, the rain was coming down in sheets. Hagrid, however, couldn't have been happier. He was overjoyed that the students were able to see the Augureys leave their nests as they escaped to enjoy the rain. The sight of the pathetic birds only depressed Harry more.

The students clambered up the hill toward the castle at the end of class, dispirited and drenched.

Harry allowed Hermione to perform a drying spell on his robes before he headed to the library at lunch. He still had no appetite, and he had yet to finish the homework he had drooled all over the previous evening. Despite Ron and Hermione's protests that he should eat something, Harry ran up to the library to take advantage of the time to work uninterrupted. He threw himself down in a chair and pulled his books out of his bag. A shadow fell across him.

"Hi, Harry."

Harry looked up and saw Ginny standing in front of him. He smiled weakly. "Hey, Gin."

She sat down beside him. "Have you heard anything yet?"

Harry shook his head.

Ginny sighed. "Do you mind if I work beside you?"

"Of course not," Harry replied..

Ginny leaned over her bag and pulled two large books out and plopped them on the table. She opened the top book and began poring over it. Harry stared at Ginny as her forehead crinkled in concentration. Despite the circles under her eyes, Harry marveled at how pretty she looked.

Harry shook his head. _Where did that come from? _He turned back to his homework, trying to ignore the odd sensation he was feeling in the pit of his stomach. _Maybe I should have eaten,_ Harry thought to himself.

Harry stared at his drool-smudged parchment and began to recopy it. He then turned to his Transfiguration text and researched the information he needed to complete the assignment. He wondered if McGonagall had noticed that it was homework for her class that he had fallen asleep on last night. He wrote quickly and hastily. It was definitely not his best work, but it would have to do.

Harry glanced at Ginny and noticed that she had fallen asleep. Her head rested on her arms on top of the open book, and her hair fell all around her. Harry reached over and brushed her hair away from her face. She looked so peaceful with her eyes closed and her face relaxed without the stresses of the day weighing on her mind. Harry smiled. _Merlin, she's beautiful_.

There it was again. A completely foreign thought had passed through Harry's mind unwittingly. _What's wrong with me?_ Harry's mind raced, trying to find answers to his own questions flying through his mind. _You haven't slept and you haven't eaten. Your body's gone mad. It's malfunctioning_. There could be no other reason.

Harry leaned over and touched Ginny's arm, ignoring the jolt it sent through him. He shook her arm gently. Ginny jerked upright, her eyes wide. Harry grinned at her.

"Harry! How could you let me fall asleep?" she scolded, her cheeks burning bright.

Harry laughed. "Oh, you're blaming me, are you?"

Ginny blushed deeper and punched Harry playfully on the arm. She groaned as she surveyed her open book, "How does anyone stand a chance in History of Magic. It's _so_ boring!"

"Don't let Hermione hear you say that," Harry warned teasingly.

Ginny wrinkled her nose. "Hermione can shove it up her – "

"Ginny!" Harry exclaimed laughing.

Ginny sighed. "Honestly, do we have to love _all_ of our subjects and _all_ of our teachers _all_ of the time?"

Harry shook his head. "Definitely not. Right now, I pretty much hate every one of them."

Ginny grinned at Harry, causing his stomach to flip. "Thanks, Harry. I needed to hear that."

Harry smiled and gathered his books together. "I'm going to grab something to eat. Do you want to come?"

Ginny shrugged. "Sure. I guess I should try and eat something today. I am feeling a bit strange."

_You're not the only one_.

* * *

"Have you heard anything, Professor?"

Professor McGonagall stared down at Harry, Hermione and Ron. They had rushed into their Transfiguration class before the other students in hopes of receiving new information.

"I'm afraid not," she frowned. "As I said this morning, I will let you know as soon as I can."

Harry, Ron and Hermione moved slowly to their desks. Harry sat behind Ron and Hermione, slouching in his chair. He hadn't noticed Parvati sit beside him.

"Harry?"

Harry looked up and saw Parvati eyeing him curiously. Her forehead wrinkled as she asked, "Are you okay?"

Harry straightened in his chair and nodded.

She stared at him. "You've seemed distracted all day."

Harry looked at Parvati. He noticed how concerned she looked.

"Did you hear about the Death Eater attacks in London?" he asked.

Parvati nodded.

Harry sighed. "I know a couple people that were there at the time. They're still missing."

Parvati's eyes widened. "I'm sorry, Harry. Are you close to them?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah. One of them is a good friend of mine."

Parvati laid a hand on Harry's arm. "Let me know if I can do anything."

Harry smiled at her kindness. "Thanks."

Harry would not have been able to tell anyone what happened during the remainder of class. While his books were open and his quill poised above his parchment, Harry stared blankly at his desk. He was becoming increasingly worried. If Tonks and Shacklebolt were all right, shouldn't they have heard something by now?

Harry jumped to his senses as the sounds of scraping chairs met his ears. The students around him were packing their bags and leaving the classroom. Harry looked down at his blank piece of parchment.

"Here," Parvati said, holding a piece of parchment out to him. "You can copy my notes."

Harry stared at her. "You don't have to -- "

Parvati smiled. "I want to. I'll get them back from you over the weekend."

Harry nodded and smiled at her gratefully. That was the second time she had helped cover for him in class.

Harry placed the parchment and his text in his bag and slung it over his shoulder. He turned to Ron and Hermione. "Ready to go?"

They nodded and followed Harry and Parvati in the direction of Professor Pandoran's classroom. They had a double Defense Against the Dark Arts class to end the week. Normally, Harry would have been pleased. But the prospect of sitting through another class was not appealing.

"Have you got any Skiving Snackboxes on you Ron?" Harry asked wearily.

"Harry!" Hermione scolded.

Ron grinned. "I wish I did, mate."

Hermione frowned and clicked her tongue.

Parvati turned to Ron. "Aren't Skiving Snackboxes those things that Fred and George were testing out last year?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah. They've got all kinds now. They're a top seller in their shop."

Parvati smiled. "So they're doing well then?"

Ron shrugged. "Yeah, they seem to – "

"Mr. Potter!"

All four students turned at the sound of Harry's name being called. Professor McGonagall was rushing towards him. Harry's stomach dropped to his feet.

"Mr. Potter, I've just received word. You're to come with me to the Headmaster's office," Professor McGonagall said as she approached him.

Ron stepped forward. "We're coming too."

"I'm afraid not, Mr. Weasley," McGonagall said sternly. "Only Mr. Potter will be coming with me."

Ron and Hermione stared at McGonagall angrily.

"I'm sorry," Professor McGonagall said, softening her expression. "Please inform Professor Pandoran not to expect Harry for class today."

Ron and Hermione's faces frowned with worry. Harry swallowed, waved a goodbye to Ron, Hermione and Parvati, and turned to follow Professor McGonagall.

They walked in silence to Dumbledore's office. Harry felt his heart pounding in his chest. He tried frantically to prepare himself for whatever news he was about to hear, fearing the worst. They stepped onto the revolving staircase, and soon faced the large oak door. McGonagall knocked softly and then opened the door. Harry's heart leapt into his throat.

"Remus!"


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17 – Tonks's Fate**

Harry rushed over and threw his arms around Remus. They hugged each other tightly, like father and son.

Harry pulled back and stared at his godfather. Remus's face was drawn. Fresh lines seemed to have appeared across his face, and his eyes looked sad. Harry's throat tightened.

"Is it Tonks?" Harry asked, his voice cracking with emotion.

Remus shook his head slowly. "I don't know. Dumbledore asked me to come here. He didn't say why."

Harry looked around the room. Professor McGonagall had disappeared, leaving Remus and Harry alone in the office. Harry returned his gaze to Remus.

"You should sit down," Harry said, ushering Remus to a chair. "You look pale."

Remus smiled softly. "Aren't I supposed to take care of you?"

Harry smiled. "We take care of each other."

Remus nodded and sunk into the chair. He put his head in his hands. Harry stared at his godfather. As much as Harry cared for Tonks, he suspected that Remus's feelings for her ran much deeper, although Remus had never admitted it to Harry. Harry's heart ached for his godfather as he sank into the chair beside Remus.

They sat silently, their still bodies belying the frantic pace of their minds. They had both been summoned, and now could do nothing but wait.

Harry stared at the scarlet quill on Dumbledore's desk. The deep red of the feather seemed to burn brightly as the light of the afternoon sun filtered through the window, casting a warm glow into the room. Harry felt anything but warmth as his stomach clenched painfully once again.

A flash in Dumbledore's fireplace caused both Remus and Harry to jump. Two revolving figures appeared, one seeming to carry the other.

Dumbledore stepped forward with Tonks in his arms. Harry's mouth went dry.

Tonks was in bad shape. Harry could see a deep gash near her left temple, which seemed to go down to the bone. Her right cheek was scratched heavily and the white of her right eye was red with blood. Her left arm was strapped across her chest and was bent at a funny angle. There was blood all over her robes.

Remus rushed forward as Dumbledore set Tonks gently on her feet. She swayed slightly, gripping Dumbledore's arm with her right hand. She turned her gaze to Remus and smiled, painfully. "Hey, Wolfman," she said, her voice barely audible and scratchy.

Remus's eyes filled with tears as he stared at Tonks. He turned to Dumbledore. "What do we need to do?"

"I believe Minerva has prepared my guestroom for Tonks. Madam Pomfrey is waiting there to tend to her. Harry, if you could help Remus take her upstairs."

Harry stared at the staircase that rose behind Dumbledore's desk. He had always wondered where it led. He was about to find out.

Remus scooped Tonks up into his arms, ignoring her protests that she could walk. Harry followed behind.

Professor McGonagall met them at the top of the staircase. "This way," she said.

Harry followed them down a narrow hallway. The walls were a dark mahogany and were bare of any pictures. McGonagall led them past several doors before opening a door on the right.

This room was startling bright compared to the dark hallway. A four-poster bed took up nearly the entire room. It was covered in a thick white quilt, and at least a dozen pillows. Madam Pomfrey was waiting beside the bed.

"Put her here, dear," Madam Pomfrey instructed Remus, turning down the covers on the bed and shifting some of the pillows aside.

Remus walked over and gently placed Tonks on the bed. He stepped back to let Madam Pomfrey do her work. She worked quickly, mending the broken arm and the deep gash across the temple. She ordered Harry and Remus to turn around as she removed Tonks's bloodied robe and replaced it with pajamas. She then fed Tonks several potions and cleaned her scratches before stepping aside.

Madam Pomfrey turned to Remus. "I'll be back early this evening to check on her. Try to keep her comfortable, and don't let her do anything unnecessary."

Remus nodded and thanked Madam Pomfrey as she left the room. He turned to Tonks.

"How are you doing?" he asked, sitting down softly beside her.

Harry stood awkwardly near the door, not sure why Dumbledore had sent him up with Remus, and feeling as though he were intruding on a private moment between Remus and Tonks.

Tonks smiled. "I'm fine. Just a few scratches."

Remus shook his head, his eyes filled with tears. "You gave us quite a scare."

Tonks reached up and caressed Remus's cheek. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

Harry _really_ felt like he shouldn't be there.

Remus ran his eyes over her bruised and scratched face. "Do you feel like talking about it?"

Tonks shook her head as her eyes filled with tears. "Not yet."

Remus nodded and ran his fingers lightly across her unscratched cheek. "How about some sleep?"

Tonks nodded, blinking her tears away. "Sleep would be nice."

Harry backed slowly towards the door.

Remus leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I love you, Tonks."

Harry froze.

Tonks grinned at Remus. "So this is what I had to do to get you to admit it."

Remus laughed softly, and then kissed her again. "Sweet dreams."

"Only of you," she replied, closing her eyes and smiling.

Remus walked past Harry and out the door. Harry followed him out, closing the door softly behind him. Remus took a few steps down the hall, and then fell to his knees.

Harry ran forward and crouched beside Remus on the floor. Remus was holding his head in his hands. Harry put his hand on Remus's back, consolingly.

Remus's shoulders shuddered as he took a ragged breath. He lifted his pale, drawn face to Harry's. "I thought I had lost her."

Harry's throat constricted as he stared into his godfather's eyes and saw pain, fear, and relief. Harry's throat burned. He fought to find his voice.

"Tonks is going to be okay," Harry said hoarsely.

Remus nodded, staring at the floor. "I don't know what I would do without her."

Harry smiled. "I thought there was something going on with you two this summer."

Remus smiled at Harry. "I have no idea what she sees in a shabby old bachelor like me."

Harry grinned at Remus. "Old? No. Shabby? Yes. What _is_ she thinking?"

Remus shoved Harry lightly.

Harry laughed, and then said seriously, "You're one of the kindest and most generous people in the world, Remus. She sees that."

Remus shook his head. "Whatever it is, I consider myself lucky." Remus rose to his feet. "Let's find somewhere a bit more comfortable to sit."

Harry stood up and followed Remus back down the hallway. Remus paused at an open door on the right and peered in.

"Ah, Remus," Dumbledore said. "Please come in and sit down."

Harry followed Remus into the room. It was a small room, with three couches set in a U-shape in front of a large fireplace. The room was inviting and comforting. Dumbledore stood in front of the fireplace with McGonagall.

"Minerva and I have some business to attend to. Please make yourselves comfortable," Dumbledore said, pointing to the couches. He studied Remus over his half-moon spectacles. "How is Nymphadora, Remus?"

Remus cleared his throat. "She will be fine. She's resting right now."

Dumbledore nodded. "She's been through more than most could survive. It will take some time."

Harry swallowed hard as he glanced at Remus, whose lips were pressed into a thin line and his forehead was creased deep with worry.

Dumbledore inclined his head toward Remus and Harry. "Please excuse us. I will be back shortly." Dumbledore walked toward the door, but paused beside Harry.

"I'll leave him in your capable hands," Dumbledore said softly to Harry, nodding his head in Remus's direction.

Harry nodded. "Yes, Professor."

Remus had already moved to one of the couches where he sat silently staring into the fire. Harry moved to the couch opposite of Remus and sat down.

"Can I get you anything, Remus?" Harry asked.

Remus shook his head. "No, thanks."

They sat silently once again. The fire crackled and popped merrily. Harry stared into it, finding the gentle flicker of the flames soothing. His thoughts moved to Remus and Tonks, and the conversation he had witnessed between them.

Harry looked at Remus. "So, that was the first time you told Tonks you love her?"

Remus's eyes darted to Harry in surprise. Remus ran his hands through his hair. "Yeah," Remus sighed. "I wish I had said it sooner. It shouldn't have taken something like this for me to say it. I don't know why I never told her."

Harry watched his godfather with interest. Harry would never claim to have any expertise in the area of love, and he was intrigued by Remus's openness with him.

Remus continued. "I guess I was scared. Scared of what, I'm not sure. I've lost so many people that were close to me, I guess I thought by denying my feelings for her it would hurt less if I did lose her." Remus's voice began to shake. "Nothing prepared me for this. When Dumbledore told me that she had been taken …"

Harry's eyes burned as he listened to Remus. Harry had his own pain and losses, all of which Remus shared. Harry, however, could not imagine losing someone he was in love with.

Remus shook his head. "I was so grateful that Dumbledore was there. He has a way with words that no one else does."

Harry nodded his head, thinking of the many times Dumbledore's words had comforted him. "That he does."

Remus looked at Harry and smiled. He leaned forward, "So … when are you going to get a girlfriend?"

Harry's mouth dropped open as he felt his face burn. "Oh…I…er…I don't know."

Remus prodded. "Anyone in mind?"

Harry shrugged, his face feeling as though it were on fire.

Remus nodded, "And her name is?"

_Ginny_.

Harry shook his head in shock. _Bloody hell! What are you thinking, Potter? Have you gone completely mad? Where is this coming from?_

Harry swallowed and answered Remus.

"Parvati."

Remus raised his eyebrows and smiled. "I remember Parvati. She's a very nice girl."

Harry nodded, pushing his aberrant thoughts of Ginny aside. "I've been spending a lot of time with her lately."

Remus leaned back on the sofa, folding his arms behind his head. "I'm happy for you, Harry." He then frowned. "It's funny though. I've always thought you'd get together with --"

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Dumbledore said, gliding into the room. He glanced at Harry and Remus. "Am I interrupting anything?"

Remus shook his head. "No, Professor. I've just been harassing Harry about the women in his life."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he looked at Harry. "Is that so?"

Harry shot a glance at Remus as his face turned red once again.

Dumbledore sighed. "I'm sorry to put an end to your fun, Remus. I'm afraid the news I bring will be a stark contrast."

The room fell silent. Remus and Harry leaned forward in their seats, their eyes on Dumbledore. Dumbledore settled himself on the couch facing the fireplace.

Dumbledore took a moment to survey Harry and Remus before beginning. The usual sparkle in his eyes absent.

"I must warn you. The events of last night are among the worst I have ever heard. It is difficult enough to know, and even harder to tell."

Harry and Remus nodded and swallowed.

Dumbledore began. "As you know, Remus, Nymphadora and Kingsley were assigned to investigate the lead the Ministry received about a possible meeting place for Voldemort and his Death Eaters."

Remus nodded.

"This meeting place was said to be an abandoned warehouse in a muggle neighbourhood. If Voldemort wanted to remain in hiding, a muggle-surrounded warehouse would be the last place we would look. When we realized this, we thought it was brilliant on Voldemort's part. Rather than suspecting the information to be wrong, we credited him with being so clever as to gather his followers right under our noses."

"When Nymphadora and Kingsley arrived, they found the building not abandoned, but full of muggles. It was a three-story office building. On a normal day, the area would be fairly abandoned at that time of day. It just so happened that the company was holding a family supper for its employees in a sectioned-off area in the street. Therefore, dozens of muggles were present for the company's celebration."

"From what Nymphadora and my other sources were able to tell me, no one stood a chance. While there were not even a dozen Death Eaters there, they did more than enough damage. They set fires all over the building. They levitated cars, uprooted trees, and blasted walls open at whim." Dumbledore paused, swallowed hard and took a ragged breath. "They tore children from their mother's arms and tied the children together in the middle of the street, as they sent curses at their parents ... They spared no one. It is in fact surprising that there were any survivors."

Dumbledore paused. He seemed to be struggling to maintain his composure, a very unusual sight.

"Nymphadora and Kingsley got as many muggles to safety as they could. They were both, however, captured. My understanding is that the Death Eaters used them as an example to demonstrate their power to the muggles. They tortured Nymphadora and Kingsley for sport and for prestige. After the Death Eaters had finished with Kingsley and Nymphadora, they were taken away. No one is sure where they were taken. Nymphadora was found in an alleyway near the Ministry of Magic only an hour ago. Kingsley is still missing."

Harry was horrified. It was worse than he had imagined. He had never believed that people could be so cruel. He thought of Tonks, who lay in a bed down the hall, physically and mentally broken. And Shacklebolt … he was still missing. Was he still with the Death Eaters? Was he still being tortured? Was he still alive?

Harry was startled by a fierce groan by Remus.

"I feel so helpless!" Remus exclaimed.

Harry's body shook. He had never seen Remus in such a state. Remus's eyes were blazing, and a fierce power seemed to exude from him. If Harry had not known and loved this man, he would have been terrified of him. Harry stared at his godfather.

"We all feel helpless at times such as these. It does not do to dwell on the anger, Remus. If your heart is full of anger, your mind is full of waste. Do not cloud your heart and mind with anger. Remus, you have more experience than most when it comes to controlling your emotions and actions. I hate to ask more of you, but you must focus that energy into determination and will. Do it for yourself. Do it for Nymphadora. Do it for Harry."

Remus leaned forward, his head in his hands, his elbows on his knees. Harry watched as Remus's shoulders began to shake. Harry couldn't stand to see his godfather in such pain. He stood and walked to Remus's side and sat down. He put his arm around Remus's shoulders. Harry did not say anything. There was nothing to say.

They sat there for some time. Harry sat beside Remus, observing Remus's eventual steadying of breath. Remus took a deep breath and then sat up straight. He clapped his hand on Harry's knee.

"Thanks, Harry."

Harry nodded. "That's what I'm here for."

Remus swallowed. "I'm glad."

Harry smiled. "Me too."

Remus turned to Dumbledore who had been staring thoughtfully into the fire.

"Forgive me, Professor," Remus said. "I hope you don't think me ungrateful, but I must ask, why was Tonks brought here? St. Mungo's would have been much closer."

Dumbledore nodded and smiled at Remus. "First thing, ungrateful and Remus Lupin will never go together. As far as St. Mungo's, I'm not sure if everyone can still be trusted there. Voldemort has demonstrated that he has increased his factions already, and there could be many more people under the Imperius Curse. I knew Poppy would be able to treat Nymphadora. I thought it best to treat her here in my quarters, rather than the hospital wing. We don't need any overly curious students interrupting her rest."

Remus nodded. "Of course, Professor."

A slight twinkle returned to Dumbledore's eyes. "Remus, we've moved well beyond the professor-student relationship. Please call me Albus."

Remus smiled. "I don't know if I could ever get used to that."

Dumbledore nodded. "I expect Nymphadora will need to stay here for a few days before moving back to headquarters. Remus, you are, of course, welcome to stay."

Remus smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Profes – Albus."

Dumbledore smiled, and then moved his gaze to Harry.

"Harry, I must compliment you on your maturity and composure. I had hoped you would be a comfort for Remus, and I was not disappointed. We all need our family in times like these."

Harry swallowed. "Yes. Thank you, Professor."

Dumbledore continued. "I also asked you to be here because you, more than anyone else, need to know what the Death Eaters are capable of. I do not plan on sharing the details of the attack with any other students, nor most of the staff. I apologize if you find the information difficult to bear, but I think it's best for you to know the enemy completely."

Harry nodded. "Yes, sir."

Dumbledore frowned at Harry. "How was your first week back at school?"

Harry shrugged. "It was fine."

Dumbledore nodded. "Not too busy?"

Harry shook his head. "Not at all. I managed just fine."

Dumbledore turned to Remus. "You should have seen him in the training room, Remus. Harry did remarkably well."

Remus smiled. "How was it Harry?"

Harry glanced at Professor Dumbledore. He returned his gaze to Remus and replied, grinning, "Brilliant. I got to jinx Snape."

Remus laughed out loud. "I imagine he didn't take that too well."

Harry smiled. "No, he didn't."

Suddenly, Professor McGonagall strode quickly into the room. "I'm sorry to intrude, Headmaster. There are three students in your office demanding to see you."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "I imagine there are two Weasleys and one Granger?"

McGonagall glanced at Harry and nodded curtly.

Dumbledore turned to Harry. "I'm sure they would be satisfied with seeing you, Harry, instead of me. I expect they are looking for some answers."

Harry nodded and stood. "Yes, Professor. I'll go."

Remus stood and hugged Harry. "I'll see you soon."

Harry nodded. "See you soon. Take good care of Tonks."

Remus smiled. "I will, I promise."

Harry exited the room and walked down the dark hallway to the top of the staircase. He paused and took a deep breath. Telling his best friends what Tonks had gone through was not going to be easy.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18 – Girls and Quidditch**

Harry frowned as he stared into the mirror, nervously trying to flatten his hair. It was Saturday evening and he had just returned from the Great Hall. He was to meet Parvati in the common room in a few minutes to work on their Potions essay. Harry tried to reason with himself; he and Parvati were just meeting to do homework. There was no need for the odd twisting of his stomach. Nevertheless, Harry continued to feel the pressure of a first date.

Harry sighed at his reflection and turned away from the mirror. He picked up his school bag, slung it over his shoulder, took a deep breath, and then headed down the stairs to the common room.

Harry paused as he reached the bottom of the stairs and scanned the room. His eyes first fell on Ron and Hermione sitting in their usual seats by the fireplace. Hermione had a huge book on her lap. She was pointing to something on the page and talking to Ron as he stared at her avidly. Harry smiled and doubted that Ron was hearing a word that Hermione was saying.

A flicker of red caught Harry's eye from the armchair facing away from him. Harry saw a mane of red hair fall over the edge of the chair and two fluffy-slippered feet appear on the opposite side. Harry felt an odd sensation in his chest and frowned. Ginny had taken the news of Tonks's injuries the worst last night when Harry had told his friends about the attack. Harry had stayed up with Ginny long after Ron and Hermione had gone to bed, comforting her. He had also gone with her to Dumbledore's office that morning and stood beside her as she demanded to see Tonks. Harry smiled as he remembered the look on Dumbledore's face when Ginny had told Dumbledore that she was going to see Tonks or be expelled trying. Dumbledore had graciously allowed them in. While Tonks had looked better than the previous day, the sight of her injuries had been hard on Ginny. Harry had sat with Remus while Tonks hugged Ginny and reassured her that she would be fine. Harry had been amazed by the love and concern that Ginny had shown for Tonks.

Harry was thinking about walking over to see how Ginny was doing when he felt a hand on his arm. He turned his gaze and found himself staring into Parvati's brown eyes.

She smiled. "You look a million miles away. What are you thinking about?"

Harry felt his cheeks flush as he darted his eyes quickly to the curtain of red hair hanging over the side of the armchair. He looked back to Parvati. "N-nothing."

Parvati raised an eyebrow as her hand slid down his arm and clutched his hand. "Come on," she said, pulling Harry with her hand.

Harry followed her, feeling as though his feet were abnormally large, causing him to stumble slightly. He cursed at himself and began to panic, feeling sweat beginning to bead on his skin. Harry cringed as he realized how his clammy hand must feel to Parvati.

Harry nearly stumbled again as Parvati stopped abruptly. She had steered him to a secluded table in the corner of the room. She turned to him and asked, "Is this table okay with you?"

Harry swallowed and nodded. "Sure."

Parvati smiled and released Harry's hand as she swung her bag on top of the table and settled herself in a chair. Harry discreetly wiped his hands on his robes, wishing he would stop sweating. Harry stood awkwardly, trying to decide whether he should sit beside Parvati or across from her. She saved him the confusion.

She turned in her seat and looked up at him, smiling. "Sit here," she said, patting the seat beside her.

Harry nodded and sat down beside Parvati. He turned his head and glanced around the common room. Harry groaned inwardly as he saw many curious eyes staring at Parvati and him. His gaze moved to the fireplace. From this point of view, Harry now saw only the back of Ron and Hermione's heads, but saw Ginny head-on as she sat sideways in her chair. She was leaning her head against the back of the chair and her eyes were closed. Harry smiled. Ginny looked so peaceful.

"Should we get started, Harry?"

Harry jumped and turned to look at Parvati. She was removing her books from her school bag and was setting them on the table. She paused and smiled at Harry.

"Sure," Harry said, leaning over and grabbing his own books. Harry cast one last glance at Ginny, then turned to Parvati.

"Where should we start?" Harry asked.

Parvati began flipping through one of the thick books she had placed on the table. "Well, I got these books from the library this afternoon. I've marked the pages that I think are relevant for the Clarity potion."

Harry swallowed, feeling guilty that Parvati was yet again bailing him out of being hopelessly behind in his homework.

"I'm sorry you had to spend the afternoon in the library. You always seem to be doing all the work," Harry said.

Parvati smiled at Harry. "I would have had to get these books whether or not we were working together. I'm just sharing my resources."

Harry shook his head, smiling. "I still feel like I owe you a huge favour."

Parvati cocked an eyebrow at Harry. "Well, don't worry. I'm sure I'll think of a way for you to make it up to me."

Harry stared at Parvati, wondering if he had imagined the suggestive tone in her voice. The sparkle in her eyes and the smile playing on her lips told him he had not imagined anything.

Parvati leaned her elbow on the table. "So, where were you this afternoon, anyway?"

Harry shifted in his seat, slouching slightly. Harry took a deep breath, realizing if he hoped to continue seeing Parvati, he would have to share a bit more of himself with her.

"I had a meeting with Mr. Brooks."

Parvati's eyebrows arched. "Really?"

Harry nodded, moving his gaze to the table top. "Yeah. I've met with him a few times this week. He thinks my encounters with Voldemort might help him understand Voldemort better, and then he can use the information to enhance his security measures."

Harry glanced at Parvati. She was staring at him with her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide.

_Oh great. She thinks I'm a freak. _

"Wow. The head of security is asking for _your_ help?"

Harry felt his face flush. He straightened in his chair and rested his elbows on the table. "Er…I guess so."

"Wow," Parvati whispered.

Harry glanced at Parvati and saw her staring at him, her eyes wide. Harry cleared his throat. "Should we get started, then?"

Parvati blinked and nodded. "Sure." She pushed the open book towards Harry. "Here. You can start with this one."

"Thanks," Harry replied, thankful to have her stop staring at him. Harry pulled the book towards himself and began reading.

"You said his name," Parvati whispered.

Harry raised his eyes from his book to look at Parvati. "Pardon?"

"You said his name," Parvati repeated, looking keenly at Harry.

Harry's brows furrowed together. "You mean Voldemort?"

Parvati jumped and then nodded. "Aren't you scared of him?" she whispered.

Harry shrugged. "I may fear the man, but I don't fear his name."

Parvati's eyes widened further. "You're really brave, Harry."

Harry shook his head. "I don't feel brave."

"I never knew you were so modest," Parvati said smiling.

_There's a lot you don't know about me,_ Harry thought.

Harry shrugged. "There's a few people that would disagree with you."

Parvati leaned toward Harry. "Well, I never did listen much to other people's opinions."

Harry smiled. "Well, that's good to hear."

Harry looked at Parvati and noticed how her eyes sparkled as she smiled at him.

Parvati placed her hand on Harry's leg and looked straight into Harry's eyes. "I really like you, Harry."

Harry swallowed as his heart pounded in his chest. _Okay. If you're going to do it, now's the time_…

"I – I – " Harry stammered.

"Harry!"

Harry jumped and turned his head to see Ron walking towards him.

"Harry, I need to talk to you," Ron said as he arrived at the table.

Harry glanced at Parvati and had to choke down a laugh. She was glaring at Ron with the utmost loathing.

Harry turned to Ron. "Can it wait?" Harry asked, nodding his head toward Parvati.

Ron glanced at Parvati and raised his eyebrows as he met her glare. He returned his gaze to Harry. "Sorry, mate. Did I interrupt something?"

"Yes," Parvati answered shortly.

Ron's face flushed as he looked at Parvati. "Right. Sorry. We'll talk later, then."

Harry smiled. "Thanks, Ron."

Ron nodded, arched an eyebrow at Parvati, and then turned and walked away.

Harry turned to Parvati and grinned. "Sorry. Ron's not used to having to share me with anyone."

Parvati smiled at Harry and said softly, "Is it something he's going to have to get used to?"

Harry looked into Parvati's hopeful eyes. He cleared his throat. "Yes, I think so."

Parvati smiled prettily. "I'm not very good at sharing, either."

Harry smiled and took her hand into his. _It's time_.

He swallowed and found courage he didn't know he had. "Well, I guess I'll have to tell Ron that my girlfriend comes first."

Parvati blushed and smiled at Harry. "Who's the lucky girl?" she asked quietly.

Harry shrugged and turned to look around the common room. "Dunno. See any good one's around?"

Parvati punched Harry lightly on the arm. Harry laughed and turned to Parvati.

"Oh look! There's one right here!" he said teasingly. He took her other hand into his and held both of her hands in front of him. "I was thinking of asking you, Parvati."

Parvati's eyes sparkled brightly. "Really?" she asked.

"Really," Harry smiled and took a deep breath. "What do you think? Will you be my girlfriend?"

Parvati smiled and whispered, "Yes."

Harry smiled and leaned towards Parvati. "I'm glad to hear that."

Parvati leaned forward. Harry met her lips and kissed her softly, enjoying the tingle spreading throughout him. A series of catcalls from the other side of the common room caused Harry to pull away.

"Potter's finally been caught!" Seamus yelled, standing on his chair. "I never thought it would happen. Potter's finally been caught by a girl! An era has ended!"

Harry groaned and looked at Parvati, who was blushing and grinning.

"I promise to hex him in his sleep tonight," Harry said.

Parvati laughed. "No. That's okay. I just need to remind him that Lavender tells all and I know things about him that he wished I didn't."

Harry laughed out loud. "Seamus and Lavender?"

Parvati nodded. "Oh, yes. They had quite a few broom closet encounters last year."

Harry shook his head, still laughing. "I had no idea."

Parvati looked at him and smiled. "Not many people did. Like I said, Lavender tells me everything."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Do _you_ tell _her_ everything?"

Parvati grinned. "Why? Are you worried?"

Harry returned her grin. "Should I be?"

Parvati laughed. "Don't worry, Harry. I won't kiss and tell."

Harry smiled. "I guess if we keep kissing during class and in the common room, everyone will know everything anyway."

Parvati raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps we need to find our own broom closet."

Harry's face burned red. "I didn't mean … we don't need …" Harry stammered.

Parvati leaned forward. "Well, I don't know about you, Harry, but I don't own an invisibility cloak, and I don't want an audience every time we kiss." She leaned closer to Harry. "And now that I'm officially your girlfriend, I plan on kissing you a lot."

Harry swallowed and felt his face flush again. "Right," Harry managed before Parvati's lips were on his again.

* * *

"Wake up, Loverboy."

Harry groaned as the hangings around his bed were yanked open and the sunlight burned his eyes. Harry rolled onto his stomach and pulled his pillow over his head.

"Come on, Harry," Ron said, "or do you not have time for your best mate anymore?"

Harry sighed and pushed himself up and glared at Ron. "I have plenty of time for my friends that don't wake me at such an indecent hour."

Ron laughed. "Since when is ten in the morning indecent?"

"What?" Harry asked, grabbing his glasses and glancing at his clock. "Why'd you let me sleep so late?"

Ron raised an eyebrow and said sarcastically, "Right. Sorry, mate. It's all my fault."

Harry smiled apologetically, "Sorry. Thanks for waking me up."

Ron nodded. "I need to talk to you anyway, remember?"

Harry nodded. "Right. Just let me jump in the shower and I'll meet you in the common room."

Harry watched as Ron's ears turned red. "Actually," Ron said," I was hoping to talk to you up here."

Harry frowned. "What's wrong, mate?"

Ron's blush deepened. "Well, last night I needed to talk to you about Quidditch, but now…"

Harry leaned forward. "But now?"

Ron sighed. "It's Hermione's birthday in a couple weeks…"

Harry nodded. "And?"

Ron stared at the floor, his hands in his pockets. "I need your help."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "With what?"

Ron ran a hand nervously through his hair. "I'm going to tell her."

Harry's mouth dropped open. "You're what?"

Ron looked at Harry pleadingly. "Please don't make this any harder than it already is. Since I've finally admitted my feelings for Hermione to you, I've realized how much I care for her. It's making me crazy. I need to tell her, whether she feels the same way or not. I need to know how she feels, one way or the other. If she feels the same way … brilliant. If not, then at least I'll know and I can try to move on. I just can't ignore it any longer."

Harry gaped at his friend. Harry had not seen Ron speak so passionately about anything, even Quidditch.

Harry closed his mouth and swallowed. "What can I do to help?"

Ron sighed in relief. "Help me come up with a brilliant plan to sweep Hermione off her feet so she has no choice but to fall madly in love with me."

Harry smiled and said sarcastically, "Oh. Is that all?"

Ron grinned. "Well, now that you've landed yourself a girl, you must have some expertise."

Harry laughed. "I call it luck, mate. I am definitely not an expert."

"But, you'll help?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded. "Absolutely."

Ron smiled. "Thanks, Harry. I know you're busy."

Harry stood and slapped Ron on the back. "Never too busy for a friend in need."

Ron grinned. "I think Parvati might disagree with you."

Harry laughed. "Yeah, you're probably right."

Ron nodded, "By the way, I'm meeting with Madam Hooch and the other house captains tomorrow night to set the Quidditch practice schedule. Are the battle training schedules set?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah. I have my private training Monday nights, and then fifth years are on Tuesdays, sixth years on Wednesdays, and seventh years are on Thursdays. Training will start a week from tomorrow."

Ron nodded and ran his fingers through his hair. "Right. That doesn't leave much time for practice, but we'll work something out. We should have tryouts this week. What do you think about Friday?"

Harry nodded. "Sounds good."

"You mean I can steal you away from your girlfriend?" Ron teased.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "If she has a problem with Quidditch, then we had better stop dating right now."

Ron laughed. "You might want to look into that, mate."

Harry nodded, wondering what he had got himself into.

* * *

"What do you think, mate?" Harry asked.

Ron and Harry sat in the Gryffindor changing room surrounded by their Quidditch teammates. They had just held the Chaser tryouts, and it was now decision-making time.

Ron cleared his throat. "Well, I'd say Ginny is a given. She played well as Seeker last year, and I think she'll be bloody brilliant as a Chaser. I am her brother, however, so if anyone feels my opinion is biased, feel free to disagree."

"Not a chance, Ron," Andrew Kirke replied.

Katie Bell nodded. "I'd be more concerned if you didn't choose Ginny, Ron."

Ron nodded. "Alright then. So that leaves one Chaser position to fill. Any suggestions?"

Jack Sloper nodded. "I thought Amanda Reese looked quite good."

Andrew smirked. "Looked good, or played well?"

Jack's face flushed. "She _played_ well."

Katie nodded. "I agree. She was really quick on the broom. But I thought Dennis Creevey was better. He read the plays really well and seemed to handle the Quaffle a bit better."

Ron nodded. "Andrew, what do you think?"

Andrew shrugged. "I'd be happy with either, although I agree with Sloper. Reese is a good looker … oops, I mean _player_."

Katie and Andrew laughed as Jack's face turned crimson once again. Harry stared at his teammates' interactions. They had obviously developed a strong camaraderie over the remaining of last year's Quidditch season, after Harry, Fred, and George were removed from the team. Harry may have joined in on their banter if he had the energy. The past week, however, had been arduous.

Professor Pandoran had met with Harry every day to prepare him for the start of the battle training course. She had trained him hard, both mentally and physically. He had met her every morning at dawn to jog around the Hogwarts' grounds, accompanied with a small group of security officials. After thirty minutes of jogging, Pandoran put Harry through a series of workouts, including sit-ups, push-ups, and running through an obstacle course in the training room. Harry would then go to classes, ignoring his aching muscles, and trying frantically to stay focused. He had then met with Pandoran after school each day to prepare the first few weeks for the course. After a quick supper, Harry would spend the evening on homework, thankfully with the help of Ron, Hermione and Parvati. Harry had collapsed into bed each night utterly exhausted. Now that it was Friday night, Harry wanted nothing more than to throw himself in front of the fireplace in the common room and think about nothing that had to do with battle training or homework. Harry had felt refreshed by the exhilaration of flying during the tryouts, but now, his exhaustion was overwhelming.

"What do you think, Harry?"

Harry blinked and looked at Ron. "Sorry?"

"Creevey or Reese?" Ron asked.

Harry ran through the tryouts of both Creevey and Reese in his mind. It was true, they both had their advantages, but it was clear that one person fit in better with their playing style than the other.

Harry glanced around at his teammates, finding all of their eyes focused on him. He looked at Ron and replied, "Creevey. I think Creevey is the better choice."

Ron nodded and looked at Katie. "You agree, Bell?"

Katie nodded. "Yes. I think he'll fit in well."

Ron turned to Andrew. "What do you say, Kirke?"

Andrew shrugged. "I've got no complaints."

"Sloper?" Ron asked, turning to Jack. "I know Creevey's got nothing on Reese as far as looks go, but do you think he'll make a good Chaser?"

Jack shot Andrew a glare and returned his gaze to Ron. "Yes. Creevey will be great."

Ron clapped his hands together. "Okay. We're set. Let's go get our team together. Then all we have to do is crush everyone in our way and win the cup!"

Katie cheered and punched her fist in the air, "For the cup!"

"For the cup!" everyone chanted, following Katie out onto the pitch.

Once the announcement of the new team players was made, everyone felt the need to celebrate. Harry's hopes of a quiet common room to relax in had been dashed. Even the students who had tried out, but not made the team, were celebrating. Bottles of butterbeer had appeared, and everyone was cheering as though Gryffindor had already won the cup. Harry had claimed a seat in front of the fireplace, choosing to watch the festivities rather than join in on them.

"Come on, Harry!" Seamus yelled. "Now that you're back as Seeker, we're guaranteed the cup!"

"Excuse me, Finnigan," Ginny said, jabbing her finger into Seamus's chest. "I think I remember winning the cup last year when I was Seeker."

Seamus grinned. "Oh, come on, Red. You've got to admit you're happy that Harry's back."

"What did you just call me?" Ginny asked, her eyes flashing.

Seamus screamed dramatically. "Dean, get your girlfriend away from me!"

Dean laughed as he looked from Seamus to Ginny, his smile fading as he met Ginny's glare.

Ginny dumped her mug of butterbeer over Seamus's head, shoved the empty mug into Dean's hand, and stomped toward the fireplace. She threw herself down beside Harry, scowling.

Harry bit the insides of his cheeks to prevent himself from laughing. Seamus had simply laughed and dried himself off with his wand. Dean, however, looked like a lost child. Harry grinned. He found Ginny's temper so adorable. He looked at Ginny and tugged at her ponytail. She turned and glared at him.

"What?" she snapped.

Harry smiled. "Your boyfriend looks a little lost."

Ginny looked at Dean and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sure he can find his way if he wants to."

Harry grinned at Ginny. "Can't he handle your temper, Red?"

Ginny's mouth dropped open. "Tell me you did not just say that, Potter."

Harry opened his eyes innocently. "Say what, Red?"

Ginny's eyes flashed as her hand dove for her wand in her pocket. Harry was faster and grabbed her wrist, making sure to hold it away from her.

"I swear, Potter. You better have a tight grip otherwise you'll be sneezing bat-bogeys for weeks."

Harry smiled as he grasped Ginny's other wrist, which was trying to reach his own wand. "I have an excellent grip, Red. Don't you worry."

Ginny screamed in frustration as she threw herself at Harry, causing them both to tumble to the floor. Ginny landed on top of Harry as he held her arms up above her. Ginny wriggled herself upright, her eyes no longer flashing angrily, but sparkling mischievously. She had her knees on either side of Harry and was grinning down at him, her cheeks flushed.

"What shall I do with you, Potter?" Ginny said grinning.

Harry smiled, maintaining his firm grip on her wrists. "You don't seem to be in much of a position to do anything, Gin."

Ginny's eyes flashed. "You seem to forget, Harry, that I've got six older brothers." She smiled dangerously. "I can play fair, or I can play dirty. Which one shall it be?"

Harry looked up at her curiously, trying to figure out what she meant. Ginny began to shift her weight to one knee, while the other began to move to Harry's centre. With a sudden realization of what she _could_ do to him, Harry quickly rolled them over, making sure to straddle Ginny in such a way that her knees could not be used as weapons.

He leaned over her smiling. "That wasn't very nice."

Ginny grinned. "You learn much faster than my brothers."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Harry said, staring down at Ginny. Ginny's cheeks flushed as Harry stared at her. He noticed how the firelight seemed to dance in her eyes. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Okay, Harry. You've got me. Will you let me go?" Ginny said feigning innocence.

Harry studied her expression, not sure whether or not she still had her bat-bogey hex on her mind.

"Are you going to hex me?" he asked.

"Are you going to call me that horrid name again … ever?" Ginny asked.

Harry smiled. "Well, I don't know about _ever_ …"

Ginny wriggled under his grasp. Harry laughed. "Okay, okay. I will _never_ call you that name again."

Ginny glared at him and then smiled. "Fine. I won't hex you then."

Harry smiled and pushed himself up, pulling Ginny up with him. They turned and found Parvati and Dean watching them with confused expressions. Harry glanced at Ginny and saw her take a deep breath.

Ginny walked over to Dean and grabbed his hand. "Come on, Dean. I need some more butterbeer."

Dean nodded and walked away with her. Harry smiled at Parvati as she offered him a bottle of butterbeer

"Thanks," Harry said smiling, not daring to turn and watch Ginny walk away. "It's a great party, don't you think?"

Parvati raised her eyebrows at Harry questioningly. She nodded hesitantly and said, "Yes. It's a great party."

Harry slung his arm over Parvati's shoulder, taking a swig from his bottle of butterbeer. Harry swallowed hard and reminded himself that his girlfriend was the one standing next to him, not the adorable red head now on the other side of the room.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19 – Battle Training**

Harry ran his fingers nervously over his robes. He felt a sweat break out on his skin as he stood beside Professor Pandoran at the front of her classroom. Fifth year students were slowly trickling into the room. The expressions on their faces varied from apprehensive, to excited, to scared senseless. They all eyed Professor Pandoran curiously, and gaped openly at Harry.

Harry shifted on his feet and swallowed.

_You agreed to this, Potter,_ Harry reminded himself.

"Hi ya, Harry!" Colin Creevey exclaimed as he bounced to the front of the classroom. "What are you doing here?"

Harry opened his mouth to reply, but was cut short by Pandoran.

"You'll find out soon enough, Mr. Creevey," Pandoran replied. "Please take a seat."

Colin shot Harry an enthusiastic grin, then sat down in the front row. The classroom was nearly full, and the buzz of whispered conversations was becoming louder and louder. Harry noticed the top of a blonde head hidden behind an upside down book. _Luna Lovegood_. Harry realized he hadn't seen her at all this year. She had been among the group that went to the Department of Mysteries with Harry. Although he found Luna to be rather eccentric, Harry appreciated the support she had shown the previous year. Her gaze drifted up and she looked dreamily at Harry for a few seconds, then returned to her book.

Harry continued to scan the room and felt a smile spread across his face as Ginny ran into the room, her face flushed and her eyes sparkling. Harry watched as she scurried into the seat beside Colin and whispered something in his ear. Colin chuckled and shook his head. Ginny looked up at Harry and winked. Harry felt his cheeks flush slightly as he smiled and nodded his head at her.

Professor Pandoran cleared her throat and clapped her hands together.

"All right, fifth years. Let's get started."

The chatter silenced and all eyes were directed to the front of the room.

"Welcome to Battle Training. As most of you are already aware, I will be your training instructor. Although I am sure it is unnecessary, please allow me to introduce my assistant, Mr. Harry Potter."

A new scurry of whispers washed over the students as Harry inclined his head towards them formally.

Pandoran cleared her throat, bringing the whispers to a halt.

"Mr. Potter is the top student in Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. His knowledge and skills in Defense exceeds many adult witches and wizards. I am honoured to have such a skilled student as my assistant. As such, you are expected to treat Mr. Potter with the utmost respect; treat him as you would any other instructor in this school. Any behaviour otherwise will result in the appropriate consequences."

Most students nodded their heads in agreement, although Harry noticed a few students in Slytherin robes scowling. Harry smiled inwardly.

Pandoran turned to Harry. "Mr. Potter, will you please explain the format of the course?"

Harry nodded and clasped his hands behind his back. He straightened himself to his full height and glanced over the students. They all looked back at him expectantly.

Harry delved into his explanation, his voice strong and confident. As with the D.A., Harry fell into the role as teacher flawlessly. He went through the expectations of the classroom sessions that would start each lesson, and then explained the physical training routine. Harry then outlined how the battle simulations would be organized before turning to Pandoran.

"Have I left anything out, Professor?" Harry asked.

Pandoran smiled broadly. "Not at all." She then turned to the class and said, "Let's begin with a little review. Please partner up and practice disarming spells."

The students partnered up accordingly, and Harry and Pandoran strolled among the students, offering suggestions as necessary. Harry smiled as he approached Ginny and Colin.

"I can't believe you're teaching us, Harry!" Colin exclaimed. "Wait until Dennis finds out! He'll be so jealous!"

Harry shook his head and grinned at Colin's enthusiasm. He turned his gaze to Ginny, who was staring at him silently.

"What?" Harry asked.

Ginny's face flushed. She shook her head and shrugged. "Nothing. You just really suit this role well, Harry. I'm happy for you."

It was Harry's turn to blush. "Thanks, Gin."

* * *

"It was fantastic!" Colin Creevey exclaimed to anyone who would listen Tuesday evening in the Gryffindor common room. Colin, Ginny, and several other fifth years were seated together on the floor giving the details of their first battle training session. A group of students of all ages gathered around them to hear the particulars. "I couldn't believe it when Harry hexed Pandoran right in front of us!"

Ginny nodded her head in agreement. "It really was brilliant. The training room is amazing. I can't believe something like that exists in our school." She stretched her legs out in front of her. "The physical training is going to be a nightmare though. Looking at Pandoran, I would have never thought she could out-run me, out-push-up me, or out-sit-up me. I hope I'm in the same shape as her when I'm her age."

The group of fifth years nodded their heads in agreement.

"Tell us more," Dennis pleaded. "What was the training room like?"

Harry sighed as he glanced at the crowd of students on the floor gathered around the fifth years. Every now and then they would gasp and turn their heads to look at Harry. He was sitting at a table at the opposite end of the common room, trying to work on his homework. Ron and Hermione sat with him, although their attention seemed to be drawn to the group on the floor as well.

Hermione glanced at Harry as he sighed yet again. "I'm sorry, Harry. Everyone is just excited. You've had a couple weeks to get used to this whole battle training thing. It's still new to the rest of us. Things will get better once everyone has had their first session."

Harry eyed Hermione. "Can't you make them go to bed or something? You are a Prefect, after all."

Hermione sighed. "Harry, it's nine-thirty and they're not doing anything wrong."

Harry ran his fingers through his hair and glanced at the group. He felt a strange sensation in his chest as he watched Ginny talk animatedly to the group. He turned back to the textbook in front of him and continued reading.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me."

Harry raised his head and saw Parvati standing in front of him with her arms crossed.

Harry swallowed and glanced at Hermione and Ron. Hermione bit her lower lip as Ron raised his eyebrows at Parvati.

"Pardon?" Harry asked.

"How could you not tell me?" Parvati demanded. "I'm your girlfriend and I have to find out from Creevey that you're Pandoran's assistant?"

"Um, Ron, don't you have something to show me in your room?" Hermione asked Ron quietly, pulling on his robes.

"W-what? N – no – " Ron stammered, his ears turning pink. Hermione frowned at him and nodded her head toward Harry and Parvati. "Oh right! I forgot. I got a new … book. You have to see it."

Harry watched Ron and Hermione stand up and scurry from the table.

"Well?" Parvati asked, her voice low.

Harry ran his fingers through his hair, exasperated. "I don't know what to say, Parvati. It wasn't something I was ready for everyone to know until they had to."

Parvati narrowed her eyes. "Did Ron and Hermione know?"

Harry nodded. "Well, yeah. They're my best friends."

Parvati pursed her lips together. "Did Ginny know?"

Harry swallowed and nodded. _This was not going well_.

Parvati moved her gaze to the group on the floor. She glared and returned her gaze to Harry. "As your girlfriend, you should feel as though you can tell me anything, Harry."

Harry sighed.

_Some things are just too complicated to tell_.

"I'm sorry, Parvati. You're right. I should have told you."

"I even asked you why you had so many meetings with Pandoran. You could have told me then, instead of being vague and saying you were helping her with _something_."

Harry groaned with frustration. He could feel anger building up inside of him. "I've already apologized, Parvati. What else do you want me to do?"

Parvati put her hands on her hips. "Is there anything else you should tell me?"

Harry stared at her.

_Well, you see…there's this prophecy that says I either have to kill Voldemort, or be killed by him…it's no big deal really…the whole future of the wizarding world rests on my shoulders, that's all…_

_Maybe not…_

"No, Parvati. There's nothing else for me to tell you."

Parvati surveyed Harry through narrowed eyes, and then plopped down in the chair opposite him.

"What are you working on?" she asked resignedly.

"Charms homework," Harry replied, feeling his anger subside.

"Well, I've finished mine. Let's see what you have so far, and maybe I can help."

Harry sighed and pushed his parchment towards her, glad that their first fight was over.

* * *

"Please tell me it's not true, Potter."

Harry sighed as he recognized the familiar sneer behind him. He was sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall after his morning workout with Pandoran.

"What's not true, Malfoy?" Harry asked, not bothering to turn around.

"That you are assisting Pandoran in battle training."

Harry turned and stared hard into Malfoy's pointy face. They glared at each other with mutual loathing. "What does it matter to you, Malfoy?" Harry sneered.

"Because I refuse to take orders from a filthy half-blood like you."

"Well, I suggest you drop out of battle training, then," Harry said, returning to his cereal bowl.

Malfoy scowled and stormed away. Tonight's session promised to be interesting.

* * *

Harry once again found himself at the front of Pandoran's classroom watching students filter in. The major difference, of course, was that tonight he was facing students in his same year. Harry wasn't sure how he'd be accepted by his fellow classmates, but the encouraging looks he got from the former D.A. members helped to qualm his worries.

At least three-quarters of the classroom was former D.A. members. From Gryffindor, there was Ron, Hermione, Neville, Dean, Seamus, Parvati and Lavender. From Ravenclaw, Padma Patil, Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, and Terry Boot. From Hufflepuff, Ernie MacMillan, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones and Zacharias Smith. The remaining students were from Slytherin.

Harry narrowed his eyes as Draco walked in, with Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson in his wake. Draco shot Harry a disgusted look and slouched into a desk at the back of the room.

Pandoran and Harry went through the introduction to the course as they had the previous day. After Harry had explained the basics of the course, Professor Pandoran addressed the students.

"Now, it seems that inter-house rivalry is particularly excessive among sixth year students at Hogwarts. I ask you to put aside your differences and learn to stand together. We must be united in our fight."

Draco snorted.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Malfoy?" Pandoran asked.

Draco darted his eyes to Harry, obviously debating how he should answer.

"I'm sorry, Professor. I find it difficult to put aside house affiliations when the poster-boy for Gryffindor is your assistant," Draco replied haughtily.

Harry clenched his fists together as he shot a steely glare to Draco.

Pandoran stared at Draco, her face unreadable. "I have already explained why Mr. Potter was chosen for this task. I do not appreciate you referring to him as a poster boy for anything. I remind you to watch your manners, Mr. Malfoy."

Malfoy scowled and muttered, "I'm sick of this Gryffindor favouritism."

"That will be ten points from Slytherin, Malfoy. Do you have anything else to add to make it fifty?" Pandoran snarled.

Malfoy crossed his arms across his chest and glared at Pandoran. "No, Professor."

Pandoran nodded. "Good. I don't enjoy taking points from anyone, particularly my own house."

Every head in the room snapped towards Professor Pandoran. Harry felt his jaw drop as he stared at his professor. He had never taken the time to even wonder which house Pandoran had belonged to in her day. He would never have guessed Slytherin.

Professor Pandoran smiled blandly. "Apparently, this information comes as a surprise to you. I understand many of you have particular feelings about the house of Slytherin, but such broad generalizations are not only unfair, but also untrue. Despite your preconceived notions, I assure you, I am Slytherin, through and through," Pandoran replied, her eyes traveling over the students as she spoke. "Now, shall we begin?"

* * *

Harry scanned his team as they huddled around him in the Training Room. Harry had been slightly disappointed when both Ron and Hermione received green badges, placing them on Pandoran's team. He was relieved, however, that Parvati was on his team. Harry knew that Ron and Hermione would forgive him in a heartbeat if he disabled them in the battle; he was not sure Parvati would. In addition to Parvati, his team consisted of Neville, Seamus, Michael Corner, Terry Boot, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbot, Zacharias Smith, Gregory Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson. Goyle and Parkinson looked completely lost without Malfoy there to order them around.

Everyone stood in the centre of the large empty classroom of the Training Room. The students had just taken their shield potions and were awaiting direction from their team leaders. Harry waited silently for Pandoran to choose the setting.

Pandoran met Harry's eye and he nodded. With a flick of her wand, Pandoran chanted, "Hogsmeade, one." The village of Hogsmeade appeared around them, causing several gasps among the students.

Harry glanced at Pandoran and noticed her already giving instructions to her team. Harry eyed up his teammates, deciding where each member would best fit in. Harry had no idea what skills Goyle and Parkinson had, but knew they would not be near that of the other members.

"All right," Harry said quietly. "Here's the plan. Parvati and Terry, I want you to partner up and go along the right side of the street, checking each store along the way. Hannah and Seamus, do the same along the left side. Neville and Pansy, I want you to head down the alley on the left and try to loop around behind the other team. Michael and Gregory, take the right alleyway and do the same. Justin and Zacharias, you've got our backs. Make sure that the other team can't get in behind us; keep the path to Hogwarts clear. I'm going to try to make my way straight up the road. Remember, use whatever you can for cover. If you come across fallen teammates, only revive them if it is safe to do so."

Harry glanced over his shoulder and saw Pandoran's team dispersing. He turned back to his teammates. "Ready?"

All of his teammates nodded, even Goyle and Parkinson.

Harry nodded. "All right. Good luck."

Harry watched as his teammates disbanded to their appropriate locations. Harry followed Parvati and Terry to the right side of the street. They pressed themselves up against the side of the building. Harry nodded at them silently, as they crept up to the door of the Three Broomsticks. Harry inched past them, continuing his journey up the main road. He paused as he watched Hannah and Seamus disappear into Zonko's Joke Shop on the other side of the street. His team appeared to be in place.

Harry peered around the corner of the entryway he was standing in to the street ahead of him. He saw a stretch of carriages lined along the street. After a quick glance around, he darted to the closest carriage and squatted beside it. He crept along its side and peered inside it. Empty. He continued along, his eyes constantly darting up and down the street around him. No sign of Pandoran's team yet.

Harry continued along, catching glimpses of Parvati, Terry, Hannah and Seamus as they went in and out of shops along the street. Harry had just reached the last in the line of carriages. He paused and listened hard. He could hear footsteps to his left. He peered around the edge of the carriage and saw the edge of a cloak disappear on the opposite side of the carriage. Harry ducked down and looked under the carriage, watching the bottom of the robes moving away from him. He quickly glanced around to see if anyone else had appeared on the street. It seemed to be empty. Harry edged along the carriage, following the footsteps. As he reached the opposite end, he peered around. Vincent Crabbe was staring dumbly up and down the street.

_This is too easy, _Harry told himself. _Was it some kind of trap?_

As Harry debated whether or not he should give his position away by hexing Crabbe, he heard a voice shout, "Stupefy!"

Harry listened as Crabbe's body fell to the ground. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps and the flash of spells filled the street. Indeed, it had been a trap. Pandoran's team had been waiting patiently, and had now descended on Harry's team mercilessly.

Harry peered around the carriage and saw Seamus lying next to Crabbe; Seamus must have been the one to stun Crabbe. Harry darted to the next carriage as Parvati and Terry burst out of the shop behind him. They looked at Harry, their faces flushed.

"What should we do?" Parvati asked, her eyes wide.

Harry looked at her and shrugged. "We fight."

Harry darted out from behind the carriage and came face to face with Dean. He shot several spells in his direction before ducking behind the carriage again. He glanced at Parvati and Terry who were both squatting behind the carriage.

"It seems that most of Pandoran's team are out in the open. Use these carriages for cover and you should be able to land a few spells. I'm going to look for Pandoran," Harry instructed. Parvati and Terry nodded.

Harry darted out once again from the carriage and ran across to the other side of the street. He ducked behind a park bench as a shower of spells landed around him. He glanced up and down the street quickly, taking in the various duels occurring around him. He watched as Ernie MacMillan easily took down Gregory Goyle. Harry threw himself forward and cast a spell in Ernie's direction. Ernie fell to the ground.

Harry turned quickly and saw Ron approaching him, a grin plastered across his face.

"This is bloody brilliant, Harry!" Ron exclaimed as he sent a curse in Harry's direction.

Harry grinned as he deflected Ron's spell. "Good to see you don't play favourites, Weasley," Harry replied, sending a curse in Ron's direction.

Ron laughed as he ducked behind a tree. "And give up my one and only chance to take down the Boy-Who-Lived? Not bloody likely!" Ron shot another spell in Harry's direction.

"You won't be taking me down today, mate!" Harry exclaimed, sending a curse at Ron. This time, it met its target.

Harry felt slightly strange as he ran over his best friend's body in pursuit of his next target. _Ron's gonna kill me for that one,_ Harry smiled to himself.

Harry's attention was diverted by a flurry of activity to his left. Pansy and Neville had just emerged from an alleyway several metres away from Harry. Pansy had run straight into Malfoy. Harry scowled as Pansy smiled up at Draco and batted her eyelashes. 'Some teammate,' Harry muttered to himself. Apparently, Draco was not moved by Pansy's flirtatious behaviour. He shoved her to the ground, and cursed her on the spot. Neville shot a spell at Draco, which Draco blocked.

Harry moved forward slowly, not wanting to draw attention to himself.

"You think you can get _me_, Longbottom?" Draco snarled, sending a curse at Neville. Harry watched proudly as Neville blocked the spell easily and cast one in return.

Draco laughed as he dodged Neville's spell. "Too bad you've got that potion in you, Longbottom. I would love to send you straight to St. Mungo's so you can be with your dear mommy and daddy."

Neville did not respond to Draco with words, but with a flurry of spells and curses. At last, one of the spells connected, leaving Draco in a heap on the ground. Harry watched as Neville stepped beside Draco and glared down at him.

"It's too bad _you_ drank the potion, Malfoy. I'd like to send you to your father's bedside in Azkaban. You deserve to be there as much as him," Neville muttered quietly.

Harry smiled as Neville's gaze met his. Harry was about to congratulate Neville on a good fight when he felt the unmistakable jolt of a spell. Harry felt his body fall slowly to the ground.

* * *

"You should have seen him!" Lavender gushed. "He was brilliant!"

Once again, the Gryffindor students had gathered together on the floor in the common room to regale their tales of their battle training. Harry joined in this time, proud of his fellow classmates.

Harry nodded. "I agree with Lavender. Neville kicked some serious butt tonight."

Neville blushed deeply and grinned widely. "You guys are exaggerating."

Lavender punched him lightly on the arm. "We are not! You nearly took out all of my team! First Susan, then Padma and Draco. I couldn't believe it when you got Hermione."

Neville's smile faltered as he glanced at Hermione. "Sorry, Hermione. I couldn't let you get away with taking down my team leader."

Hermione smiled. "You got me fair and square, Neville. No need to apologize."

Ron shook his head. "I missed all the action. Thanks a lot, Harry."

Harry grinned as he punched Ron on the shoulder. "It's not like you were going easy on me."

Ron grinned. "Well, I guess I'll let Hermione take the fame this time."

Hermione snorted. "What fame is that?"

Ron sighed dramatically. "The fame of being the only wizard to take down the unbeatable Harry Potter, of course."

Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry threw a cushion at Ron's head.

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Seamus began, "but I can't wait to see Malfoy tomorrow morning. Did you see him leave tonight? He was so mad he couldn't walk straight!"

"Was that before or after Pansy slapped him for cursing her?" Dean asked laughing.

They continued their laughter and their tales until Hermione insisted that everyone go to bed. Harry sighed as he glanced at his watch. He had not done any homework, and he knew he would regret it tomorrow. However, Harry so rarely had the opportunity to sit around and enjoy the company of his classmates. Surely one night of acting like a normal teenager could be allowed, even for the Boy-Who-Lived.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Warning: Extreme fluff ahead. Honestly, you may want to get a bucket. In fact, if you have any sort of aversion to fluff, avoid this chapter completely. I mean it.

Consider yourself warned…

A/N #2: I always thought Hermione would be turning sixteen in Book 6, until JKR proved me wrong on her website. In the F.A.Q.'s, Jo clearly states that Hermione was nearly twelve when she started at Hogwarts. With her birthday being in September, she would have turned twelve within the first few weeks at school. Therefore, she'll be turning 17 in her sixth year. I guess I'll take Jo's word on it (hehe), so here follows Hermione's seventeenth birthday.

**Chapter 20 – Hermione's Surprise**

The grayish hues of the early morning light fell across the grounds of Hogwarts. Harry's trainers were already soaked through from the dew on the grass. He was jogging his usual path around the grounds, looping around Hagrid's cottage, along the lake, around greenhouse two, along the far side of the Quidditch pitch, and back up to the castle. This morning found Harry jogging the course alone, except for the usual company of security officials. They, however, kept their distance, allowing Harry the solitude he learned to appreciate at this time of day. Professor Pandoran no longer joined Harry every morning, claiming that she could no longer keep up with him.

While Harry had initially dreaded these early morning training sessions, he now found himself looking forward to them. All of his worries seemed to disappear as he took in the beauty of the Hogwarts grounds. He found solace in the early morning, which served as a stark contrast to the remainder of his day.

Harry nodded a farewell to the security officials as he climbed up the stairs to the castle. He made his way to Gryffindor Tower, hoping for a quick shower and an hour's time to work on homework. Harry climbed through the portrait hole, and made his way to the staircase leading to the boys' dormitory.

"Morning, Harry."

Harry stopped, his hand on the banister and his foot frozen mid-air over the bottom step. He turned around and saw Ron stretching on the couch in front of the fireplace.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, crossing the room towards Ron.

Ron yawned widely before replying, "Waiting for you."

Harry raised an eyebrow as he plopped down into an armchair. "Well," he replied, "here I am."

Ron surveyed Harry. "I can't believe you willingly get up this early."

Harry shrugged. "You get used to it."

Ron paused and ran his fingers through his hair. He took a deep breath. "Have you thought of anything for Hermione's birthday?"

Harry swore silently to himself. He had completely forgotten about his agreement to help Ron plan something spectacular for Hermione's birthday.

Harry shook his head and apologized. "Sorry, Ron. I haven't even thought about it."

Ron nodded and stared at the empty fireplace. "I know you've been busy."

Harry frowned at Ron. "Have you come up with anything?"

Ron shrugged. "I have a few ideas, but each one is as hopeless as the next."

Harry leaned forward, intrigued. "Maybe not, Ron. Let's hear them."

Ron sighed and looked at Harry skeptically. "Promise not to breathe a word of this to anyone else?"

"Promise."

Ron glanced around the room, and then leaned toward Harry. Ron spoke quickly and quietly, his face burning red the entire time. Harry's eyes widened as he listened to Ron, deeply impressed.

"Wow, Ron. I never knew you had it in you," Harry said leaning back in his chair. "I don't know why you even asked for my help."

Ron raked his fingers through his hair. "Well, while you have been justifiably busy, I've been thinking of nothing else. Besides, I'll need help organizing it, not to mention your moral support."

"You've got it, mate," Harry replied. He then furrowed his brows together. "I think we're going to need another person's help, though."

Ron frowned. "Who?"

"Well, neither you nor I can go into the girls' dormitory…" Harry began.

Ron's eyes widened. "Not --"

"Ginny," Harry said nodding his head.

Ron groaned. "She'll tease me worse than Fred and George would."

Harry grinned. "Well, I guess I could ask Parvati --"

"No!" Ron interrupted. "Let's keep my humiliation within the family."

Harry chuckled. "Don't worry, mate. I have a feeling Ginny will be all over this."

"What am I going to be all over?"

Ron and Harry jumped as Ginny's voice floated from the girls' staircase.

"Impeccable timing, Miss Weasley!" Harry said cheerfully.

Ginny raised an eyebrow at Harry as she sleepily walked to the armchair opposite Harry. "Ugh, Harry. Just because you're teaching us doesn't mean you have to _sound_ like a professor." She threw herself into the armchair, swinging her legs to dangle over the arm. "Why are you so cheerful, anyway?"

Harry grinned. "I'll let your brother explain."

Ron sighed and looked at Ginny. "We're planning something for Hermione's birthday."

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "What are you planning?"

Ron glanced at Harry, who nodded encouragingly.

"Well, I g-guess it's more so me … I mean … I-I'm planning something for Hermione's birthday," Ron stammered.

Ginny swung her feet to the floor and leaned forward in her chair.

"Go on," she said, her curiosity evident.

"I – I … I want to do something nice for her," Ron continued, his face crimson. In a whisper, he added, "Some – something romantic."

Ginny's jaw dropped. A wide grin spread across her face as she looked from Ron to Harry and back again.

"Did you say 'romantic'?" Ginny asked.

Ron threw Harry an 'I-told-you-so' look. "Yes, Ginny," Ron said steely. "That's what I said."

"That's fantastic!" Ginny exclaimed.

Ron's head shot up to look at Ginny in shock. "What?" Ron asked, disbelieving.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Ron. It's about time. What can I do to help?"

Ron stared dubiously at his sister. "You're not going to say anything else? You're not going to tease me mercilessly?"

Ginny grinned happily. "No. I'll save the teasing and torment for when the two of you are finally dating. So, what's the plan?"

Ron breathed a sigh of relief and then shared his idea. By the time he was finished, Ginny's mouth was hanging open and her eyes were wide.

"Oh, Ron! She'll love it! I can't believe you came up with that on your own!" Ginny exclaimed.

Ron slouched back into the sofa. "Yeah, but will it work?"

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, then replied in unison, "Definitely."

* * *

Harry ran into the common room early Friday morning after his daily jog. He had hoped the run would calm his nerves, but he was far too anxious.

_Blimey! You'd think I was the one professing my love for Hermione today,_ Harry scolded himself.

As he entered the common room, he found Ron pacing in front of the fireplace. His face was pale and his hair was standing on end.

"You all right, mate?" Harry asked as he crossed the common room.

Ron shook his head. "I can't do it. I've changed my mind," Ron said miserably.

Harry shook his head. "You can and you will do it. There's too many people involved to back out now."

Indeed, in addition to Ginny, they had also enlisted the help of Dobby and a surprisingly helpful Professor McGonagall.

Ron opened his mouth to reply, but then turned to the sound of footsteps on the girls' staircase. Ginny bounded down the stairs, smiling widely. "It's done."

Ron sank into the couch and put his head in his hands. "What have I done?" he muttered.

Ginny sat beside her brother and rubbed his back consolingly. "It's going to be fine, Ron. Besides, you've got to get your game face on, or all of our plans will be for nothing."

Ron ran his hands over his face and nodded. "Right."

Another scurry of footsteps on the girls' staircase brought their conversation to a halt. Ron, Harry, and Ginny held their breath as Hermione appeared at the bottom of the staircase. She was clutching a bouquet of red roses in her arm, and her face was flushed. She stopped in her tracks as her eyes landed on her best friends.

The room fell silent as Hermione surveyed her friends before her.

"Happy Birthday, Hermione," Harry said, attempting to eliminate the awkward silence that had fallen upon them. He walked over and wrapped her in a hug, careful not to crush the roses.

"Thanks, Harry!" Hermione replied. "What are all of you doing down here so early?"

"We all wanted to be the first to wish our favourite girl a happy birthday," Ginny said smoothly, hugging Hermione tightly.

Hermione grinned. "Thanks."

Ron stood and smiled awkwardly at Hermione. "Happy birthday, Mione." He gave her a quick hug and then arched his eyebrows at the roses.

"What's with the roses?" he asked.

_Wow, he's good,_ Harry mused.

Hermione's face flushed. "They were lying on my pillow when I woke up," she said smiling.

Ron frowned. "Who are they from?"

Harry bit the insides of his cheeks. _He's really good_.

Hermione shrugged as her cheeks coloured. "I don't know. They just came with this," she said, holding out a small piece of parchment.

Harry, Ginny, and Ron leaned in to read the parchment. In a beautiful calligraphy were the words:

_Seventeen roses_

_for each of your years …_

Harry frowned. "That's awfully vague."

Hermione shrugged. "I think it's intriguing."

Ron snorted.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Ronald, just because you have the emotional depth of a rain puddle doesn't mean that everyone else is limited to that level."

Harry held his breath. _Hermione's going to regret that one,_ he thought. Harry watched as Ron took a deep breath.

"What are you saying? You've got a secret admirer or something?" Ron asked sharply.

Hermione surveyed Ron. "I'm not saying anything, Ronald, but it _is_ possible."

Ron shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Whatever you say, Hermione."

Hermione frowned at Ron and then turned to Ginny. "Come on, Ginny. Let's go put these roses in some water."

Ginny nodded and went to follow Hermione up the stairs. Ginny turned to face Ron and Harry on the bottom step and gave them a thumbs up. She then spun around and followed Hermione up the stairs.

Ron collapsed onto the couch. "How'd I do?"

Harry grinned at his best friend. "Brilliant. Absolutely perfect."

* * *

After a quick shower and more encouraging words for Ron, Harry dragged Ron downstairs to meet Hermione and Ginny in the Great Hall. Hermione was talking excitedly about the book Harry and Ron had given her as a present.

"Thank you both for the book," Hermione said smiling as Ron and Harry sat down across from her. "I'm sure it will help prepare me for my apparition test."

Harry smiled. "You're welcome. It was Ron's idea."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at Ron who had been staring blankly at his empty plate. Her eyebrows fell into a frown as she surveyed Ron.

"Are you feeling all right, Ron?" Hermione asked.

Ron's head shot up and his eyes darted to Harry and Ginny before they focused on Hermione. "I'm fine. Why?"

Hermione frowned. "You haven't eaten anything yet."

Ron shrugged. "I'm not hungry."

Hermione set her spoon down and clasped her hands in front of her on the table. "Now I _know_ something is wrong. What is it?"

Harry nudged Ron and handed him a plate of toast. Ron grabbed a couple slices and began munching absently. "I'm fine," Ron repeated.

Hermione opened her mouth to voice her disbelief, but was cut off by a long white box dropping onto the table in front of her. She glanced up at the owls swarming overhead, but could not discern which one had delivered it.

"Well, aren't you going to open it?" Ginny exclaimed excitedly.

Hermione's hand slowly removed the ribbon tied neatly around the box. She lifted the lid to reveal six slender roses. Hermione slipped her hand into the box and retrieved a piece of parchment. Her cheeks flushed as she read the note aloud:

_"Seventeen roses_

_for each of your years,_

_Six roses more_

_for the years you've been near…" _

Ginny giggled. "This is getting interesting."

Harry leaned forward and looked at the note curiously. "Any name this time?"

Hermione shook her head.

"Who do you think they're from?" Ginny asked.

Hermione looked at her friends wide-eyed. "I have no idea."

* * *

"Has she said anything?" Ginny whispered.

Harry glanced at Hermione. She had her new book, _Getting There in One Piece: Apparition at its Simplest_, propped up in front of her lunch and was completely immersed in its pages. Ron sat beside her, twiddling his spoon absentmindedly in his soup.

Harry turned to Ginny and whispered, "She's not saying anything, but I've seen her rereading the notes under her desk in class. Her curiosity is definitely piqued."

Ginny giggled softly. "And this afternoon?"

"All set," Harry whispered.

A large brown owl swooped down to the table in front of them and began nibbling the corner of Hermione's book. After several seconds, Hermione finally noticed and snatched her book away. The owl hopped over, dropping two roses and a piece of parchment on her plate. Hermione's eyes widened as she reached for the parchment. She read the note silently, clasping a hand over her mouth.

"What is it?" Ginny asked.

With a shaky hand, Hermione handed Ginny the note. Harry and Ginny read it together.

_Seventeen roses_

_for each of your years,_

_Six roses more_

_for the years you've been near,_

_Two roses now_

_since you've entered my heart…_

Harry smiled as Ginny handed the note to Ron. Ron's face flushed as he handed the note back to Hermione.

"It appears you have an admirer," Ron said thickly.

Hermione stared at the note in her hand. "Yes, it appears so."

They finished their lunches, taking guesses as to who Hermione's admirer might be. Neville, Seamus, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were contemplated as possible admirers, much to the chagrin of Hermione. Harry had caused Ginny to choke on her pumpkin juice when he suggested that Pansy Parkinson might be a likely candidate since Malfoy's indiscretion in the training room. Hermione, for her part, cast Harry an exasperated glare.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione parted ways with Ginny as they headed to their afternoon classes. Harry and Ron continued to throw names around, to Hermione's utter annoyance.

"Honestly, you two are driving me mad! I wish I had never shared this with you!" Hermione hissed.

Ron suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

Harry turned to face Ron. "What is it, mate?"

Ron slapped his hand to his forehead. "I've forgotten my book bag in the Great Hall."

"How could you forget your bag?" Hermione scolded.

Ron shrugged. "You guys go ahead. I'll meet you there."

"Hurry, Ron! McGonagall doesn't take tardiness lightly!" Hermione called as Ron raced down the hallway.

Harry and Hermione walked into McGonagall's classroom and took their seats. Harry slid in beside Parvati hesitantly. She had been acting strangely lately; she either attached herself to Harry's side and didn't give him room to breath, or did little more than acknowledge him politely. So far, today had been the latter.

Parvati glanced coolly at Harry. "Hello, Harry."

"Hey, Parvati," Harry said smiling. "Have a good lunch?"

"Yes, not that you care," she answered stiffly as she flipped through her Transfiguration text.

Harry sighed and shook his head. He refused to get into a row with Parvati today.

Harry sat silently waiting for class to start. He began doodling on the corner of his text.

"Harry!" Hermione hissed. Harry looked up at Hermione to see her twisted in her seat to face him. "What's taking Ron so long?" Hermione whispered.

Harry bit the insides of his cheeks and shrugged as McGonagall entered the classroom. The door slammed shut behind her as she strode to the front of the classroom. Hermione cast one last worried glance at the door before turning to face Professor McGonagall.

McGonagall cleared her throat as she cast an appraising glance over the students. "Good afternoon. Today we will be studying--"

"Sorry, Professor!" Ron exclaimed as he burst into the classroom.

McGonagall shot Ron a withering glare. "Would you mind explaining why you are late, Mr. Weasley?"

Ron blushed as he sat down beside Hermione. "I forgot my books, Professor."

McGonagall peered over her glasses at him. "I don't appreciate being interrupted, Mr. Weasley. Now, if you don't mind, may I continue my lesson?"

Ron nodded. "Of course, Professor."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow at him and then continued. "As I was saying, today we will be studying the theory of--"

"Hey, Harry! Do you have an extra quill?" Ron whispered loudly, receiving glares from both Hermione and McGonagall.

"Mr. Weasley, when you come to my class I expect you to be on time and to be prepared. I should think your years thus far in my classroom would have made that clear!"

"Sure thing, Professor," Ron replied offhandedly.

Hermione's mouth dropped open as she kicked Ron under the table.

"Ouch! Whatcha kick me for?" Ron exclaimed.

Hermione buried her face in her hands as Harry bit the insides of his cheeks so hard he thought he might be drawing blood.

"Mr. Weasley! Detention! Tonight!" McGonagall exclaimed.

Ron looked sheepishly at Professor McGonagall and nodded his head.

The remainder of the afternoon passed by incident-free. Ron had even managed to get Hermione to forget about his behaviour in Transfiguration when he joked that Harry might be her secret admirer.

"Ron!" Hermione said shaking her head, "that's like me saying that Ginny fancies you!"

Ron screwed up his face. "Yuk! I take it back!"

Hermione laughed as they climbed through the portrait hole. Ginny bounded up to them, her cheeks flushed.

"Hermione! You've got another owl!"

Hermione followed Ginny to the couch in front of the fireplace to find an owl perched on the armchair. Hermione glanced at her friends, and then untied the parchment tied to it.

She sat down and read the note. Her face turned red and her hand fluttered to her chest. When she raised here eyes to her friends, they were wide and shining brightly.

"What did it say, Hermione?" Ginny asked softly, sitting beside Hermione.

Hermione handed Ginny the note. Ginny glanced at Ron and Harry, and then read aloud:

_Seventeen roses_

_for each of your years,_

_Six roses more_

_for the years you've been near,_

_Two roses now_

_since you've entered my heart,_

_The final rose, dear,_

_I must wait to impart._

_A delectable feast,_

_for you I will prepare,_

_It's taken all my courage,_

_it's taken all my dare,_

_The time has come_

_that I must take a leap,_

_Tonight I will give_

_my heart for you to keep,_

_Do with it what you may,_

_in you I place my trust,_

_Please promise to hear me,_

_now this is a must,_

_Our friendship I treasure,_

_yet I dare ask for more,_

_But please know this,_

_it's you I adore,_

_So meet me tonight,_

_and I promise you bliss,_

_If you will only grant me_

_love's tender kiss._

_Room of Requirement, 6:00pm _

A tear escaped down Ginny's cheek as she looked briefly at Ron. She then turned to Hermione and hugged her. "It's beautiful!"

Harry glanced at Ron, who was watching Hermione intently.

"Are you going?" Ron asked quietly.

Ginny and Hermione broke apart. Hermione swiped her fingers across her cheeks.

"What?" Hermione asked.

Ron swallowed and stared at her. "Are you going?" Ron repeated.

Hermione glanced at the parchment and then looked up at Ron. "I'm not sure…I'd like to find out who it is," she said softly.

"Don't you know?" Ron asked, his eyes boring into hers.

Hermione blinked the tears from her eyes. She stared at Ron contemplatively. She moved her gaze to the parchment in her hand. "No, I don't think I do," she said quietly.

Ron stared at Hermione furtively before slouching in his seat and moving his gaze to the floor.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Harry sat quietly in front of the fireplace, keeping their thoughts to themselves. Ron was becoming increasingly fidgety, but only Harry noticed it.

Ron raked his fingers through his hair. He suddenly jumped up and said, "I'm going to get cleaned up before McGonagall's detention. I'll see you guys later."

"Ron, wait!" Hermione called, standing up and reaching her hand towards Ron.

Harry watched Ron's shoulders rise and fall as he took a deep breath before turning to face Hermione. Ron's jaw clenched as he peered down at Hermione. "Yes?" he asked.

Hermione fidgeted with the piece of parchment in her hand. "Do _you_ think I should meet this person?" she asked, her eyes penetrating Ron's.

Ron took a step toward Hermione, put his hands on her shoulders and peered into her eyes. He spoke softly, his words clipped and forced, "I think you should go. I … I hope you're happy with what you find."

Ron then turned abruptly and strode away from Hermione and climbed up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Hermione stood staring at Ron's retreating back, her mouth parted slightly. Hermione turned to face Harry and Ginny, her forehead wrinkled in confusion and disappointment.

"I guess I'll be going, then," she said quietly, sinking into the couch beside Ginny.

Ginny patted Hermione's leg and smiled, "It'll all turn out right, Hermione. I just know it."

Hermione gazed at the empty staircase where Ron had disappeared. "I'm not so sure, Ginny." She then turned to the piece of parchment and re-read it. She turned abruptly to Harry and Ginny. "You two have to come with me."

"What?" Harry and Ginny exclaimed.

Hermione leaned forward and spoke urgently. "You _have_to come with me! I don't know who this person is. It might not be safe!"

Ginny shook her head. "Someone off their rocker can't write poetry like that," she said, nodding towards the parchment in Hermione's hand.

"Yes they can!" Hermione insisted, her eyes wide. "Even if he's not dangerous, what if it's someone that I really don't like? If you're there, you can help me escape!"

"I don't think the bloke was wanting you to bring anyone with you, Hermione," Harry said sagely.

"That's exactly why you need to come," Hermione insisted.

"No," Harry said, crossing his arms.

"Please?" Hermione asked.

"No," Ginny replied.

Hermione folded her arms across her chest. "Some friends you are!" she sniffed. "Fine," she continued, "I won't go then."

Harry and Ginny bolted upright in their seats. They had never considered that Hermione might not go.

"You have to go," Ginny insisted. "You have to at least solve the mystery."

"I don't care," Hermione said stiffly.

"You do too," Harry said. "I saw your face when you read that poem. You're dying to know who it is."

Hermione squirmed in her seat. "I don't want to get this person's hopes up by meeting him, only to turn him down once I'm there."

"Who says you're going to turn him down?" Ginny inquired.

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "If I don't fancy him, I'm not going to go out with him just because he went through all of this trouble for my birthday. I'm not going to lie."

"What if you do fancy him?" Ginny pressed.

Hermione glanced at the boys' staircase. "I doubt I will."

Harry leaned forward in his chair, trying one last attempt. "You should go, Hermione. You can't leave him waiting there all night. At least have the courtesy to meet him, even if it is only to turn him down."

Hermione sighed and frowned at Harry. "You're right," she said, "I should go. But, only if you'll come with me."

Harry groaned frustrated. "Hermione! Where's your Gryffindor courage?"

Hermione shook her head primly. "This has nothing to do with courage!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Give us a break, Hermione. The poor guy would be so embarrassed if Harry and I walked in with you."

Hermione's eyes darted between Harry and Ginny. "Use Harry's invisibility cloak. That way I'll know that you're there, but he won't."

"Hermione – " Harry began.

"Hold on," Ginny said, holding her hand out to interrupt Harry. She turned to face him. "You have an invisibility cloak?" she whispered, seemingly scandalized.

Harry frowned at Ginny. "Yeah, didn't you know?"

Ginny's mouth dropped. "No, I most certainly did not know! How long have you had it?"

Harry shrugged nonchalantly. "Since my first Christmas at Hogwarts. It was my dad's."

Ginny leaned back in her chair. "Have you ever used it?"

Harry grinned. "Loads of times."

A mischievous glint shone in Ginny's eyes. "How is it that I don't know about this?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders and leaned back in his chair. "It's not like we advertise that I have it. But it has come in handy on numerous occasions."

"As it will tonight," Hermione insisted, nodding her head curtly.

Ginny surveyed Harry with a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "You're just full of surprises, Potter."

Harry smiled half-heartedly. "Yeah. I'm an abyss of secrets."

Ginny frowned at Harry, trying to determine what he meant by his comment. Hermione interrupted her thoughts.

"So, will you two come with me, then?" Hermione asked.

Ginny met Harry's gaze and raised her eyebrows questioningly. Harry shrugged his shoulders and nodded.

"Fine, we'll come," Ginny said, turning to Hermione, "with Harry's cloak. At no time do we want our presence to be known."

Hermione threw her arms around Ginny. "Thank you!" Hermione exclaimed. "Now come help me get ready."

Ginny smiled as Hermione tugged her arm. "I thought you were just going out of courtesy?"

Hermione shrugged. "That doesn't mean I shouldn't look nice," she said plainly. She turned to Harry. "Meet us back here in an hour and bring your cloak."

Harry saluted Hermione with his hand to his forehead and replied, "Yes, ma'am."

* * *

Harry scribbled furiously across the parchment spread before him. He had decided to work on his Charms essay while Ginny helped Hermione get ready for her birthday surprise. Why girls always seemed to need "help" getting ready was beyond Harry, but it nevertheless gave him the opportunity to get a head start on his homework.

_Hermione would be so proud,_ Harry chuckled to himself as he proofread his notes. After a few edits and additions, Harry smiled, satisfied with his work.

"What's with the smile, honey?"

Harry looked up to see Parvati grinning at him. He raised an eyebrow questioningly. She had stayed clear of him all day, and now she was calling him 'honey'? Girls were _so_ complicated.

Harry shrugged and replied, "I'm just happy to be done Flitwick's essay."

Parvati's face spread into a wide smile as she slid into his lap and put her arms around his neck. "Does that mean I can have you to myself tonight?" Parvati purred in Harry's ear.

Harry swallowed as he pulled Parvati's arms from around his neck. "I thought you were mad at me," Harry said, pushing Parvati back so he could look at her.

Parvati pouted. "What made you think that?" Parvati asked, snaking her hands around Harry's neck again.

Harry stared at her, his mouth agape. "You barely acknowledged me all day."

Parvati sighed and rolled her eyes. "You're so silly, Harry."

Harry frowned, feeling a ripple of anger flash through him. "Are you saying you didn't ignore me all day?"

"Harry…" Parvati murmured as she leaned towards him for a kiss. Harry stopped Parvati by placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I want an answer, Parvati," Harry said sternly.

Parvati's eyes narrowed. "What's your problem, Harry?"

Harry pushed Parvati off his lap and began gathering his parchment and books that were spread on the table. "I refuse to play this game with you, Parvati," Harry said, shoving his books roughly into his school bag.

"Please don't go, Harry," Parvati pleaded.

Harry spun around to retort, but stopped himself when he met Parvati's teary eyes.

"Parvati – "

"Please, Harry. I'm sorry," Parvati began, her bottom lip trembling. "I just --"

"Harry! Are you ready to go?"

Harry turned to see Hermione calling to him from the bottom of the girls' staircase. Harry returned his gaze to Parvati. She was staring at Hermione with narrowed eyes. Harry sighed.

"I'm sorry, Parvati. We'll have to finish this conversation later. I've got to help Hermione with something."

Parvati swallowed and moved her narrowed eyes to Harry "Of course. Go help your _friend_ . Your _girlfriend_ will just have to wait," Parvati said coolly.

Harry ran a hand through his hair. "Don't do that, Parvati."

Parvati's voice was sharp. "Do what? Speak the truth?"

Harry felt anger flare up inside him again. "You're right, Parvati. I'm helping one of my best friends on her birthday. If that makes me an inconsiderate prat, then so be it," Harry spat, slinging his bag over his shoulder. He turned and called to Hermione, "I'll be right back, Hermione."

Harry ran upstairs and threw his bag violently on his bed. He kicked his trunk as the frustration from his conversation with Parvati coursed through him.

"Trouble in paradise?"

Harry jumped and turned to face the voice that had come from the doorway. Ginny stood leaning against the doorframe with a small smile playing on her lips.

Harry snorted. "I'm definitely not in paradise," Harry muttered, raking his fingers through his untidy hair.

"I can hex her if you want," Ginny replied, drawing her wand from her robes.

Harry chuckled despite himself. "No, that's okay. I don't need you to fight my battles, Ginny."

Ginny surveyed Harry seriously. "As long as you know that I will gladly hex anyone who hurts you, Harry."

Harry swallowed hard as Ginny's words caused a tightening in Harry's chest. He stared into Ginny's eyes and saw her honesty and determination. "I know, Ginny. Thank you."

Ginny smiled softly as she tucked her wand away. "You should grab your cloak. I'm sure Hermione's worn a hole in the carpet from her pacing by now."

Harry nodded and leaned into his trunk to retrieve his invisibility cloak. He folded it tightly and tucked it inside his robes. He turned to face Ginny. "Shall we?"

Ginny nodded and smiled. "Let's go."

They met a very anxious Hermione in the common room and rolled their eyes as Hermione admonished them for taking so long.

"Relax, Hermione!" Ginny said, exasperated. "We still have plenty of time."'

Hermione wrung her hands nervously. "I don't want to make a bad impression by being late."

Harry chuckled. "By the sounds of that poem, you don't need to worry about the kind of impression you'll make, Hermione."

Hermione straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. "You can never be sure, Harry."

Ginny stifled a giggle as Harry rolled his eyes again.

They clambered through the portrait hole and began to make their way to the Room of Requirement.

"I wonder if he's a member of the D.A.," Hermione wondered aloud.

"What makes you say that?" Ginny asked, glancing briefly at Harry.

"Well, other than the students in the D.A., it isn't very likely that anyone else knows about the Room of Requirement," Hermione stated.

"You may be on to something, Hermione," Harry replied. Ginny shot Harry a look of warning at which Harry just grinned.

Hermione sighed. "I just can't imagine who it could be, and no, I don't need to hear any more suggestions, Harry."

Harry chuckled, and then turned to Ginny. "Well, Gin. I think it's time we go undercover," Harry said, pulling the invisibility cloak from inside his robes. He glanced up and down the hall before shaking the cloak to its full length. Harry then stepped toward Ginny and threw the cloak around them.

"I can still see your feet," Hermione said, staring at the disembodied feet.

"You'll have to get closer, Ginny," Harry whispered as he hunched over to let the bottom of the cloak touch the floor.

Ginny turned her head and raised an eyebrow at Harry. "Are you trying to get fresh with me, Potter?"

Harry felt a flush creep into his cheeks. He ignored the flips in his stomach as he retorted, "Is that a request?"

Ginny laughed and elbowed Harry in the ribs.

"Ouch!" Harry yelped, grinning.

"Sshh!" Hermione scolded as she continued down the hallway with an invisible Harry and Ginny in tow. Harry and Ginny stopped and watched as Hermione walked by the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy three times. On her third pass, a door appeared on the stretch of wall opposite the tapestry. Harry and Ginny glanced at each other anxiously.

Hermione looked up and down the hallway. "Where are you two?" she whispered.

"Right behind you."

Hermione jumped and then nodded. "Okay. Follow me in. I'm sure this won't take long, and then you can follow me out."

Hermione's hand reached hesitantly to the doorknob. She paused, her hand trembling inches from the door. Ginny reached through the folds of the invisibility cloak and nudged Hermione in the back.

"Okay! Okay!" Hermione hissed. She straightened her shoulders and raised her chin as she pushed the door open.

Hermione and Ginny gasped as they walked into the room. Harry nudged Ginny in warning as they followed Hermione, although he too felt his mouth drop open at the sight. The room was nearly wall-to-wall with roses. In the centre of the room was a small table with two place settings. Silver domes covered the feast that had been prepared among the candles on the table. Candles also hung suspended around the room, casting a warm glow.

Harry and Ginny stood huddled together by the door as Hermione stepped slowly towards the table. Ginny grabbed Harry's arm tightly as a slight movement in a darkened corner of the room caused Hermione to jump. A dark figure could be seen standing just beyond the dancing flicker of candlelight. Hermione turned to face the corner, her hands twitching by her side.

The figure stepped forward slowly. A tall, red-haired boy stepped into the candlelight, clutching a single red rose in his hand. The boy raised his eyes hesitantly to Hermione and took another step towards her.

"Happy birthday, Hermione," he said, his voice cracking with emotion and fear.

Hermione's hands flew to her face. Harry and Ginny held their breath, both knowing they should turn around and leave, but neither able to tear themselves away from the scene before them. Hermione's shoulders shook as she took in a ragged breath.

"Ron?" she whispered.

Ron walked forward, closing the space between them. "Your final rose, as beautiful and perfect as you," Ron said softly, holding the rose out to her.

Hermione's hand shook as she took the rose from Ron. She brought the flower to her nose and breathed in its sweet smell. Ron stood silently before her, his face filled with anguish.

"Ron…" Hermione said, her voice breaking.

"Yes?" Ron replied, his voice low and strained.

Hermione raised her eyes to Ron. "I thought you had detention with Professor McGonagall."

Ron cleared his throat. "No. That was a set up so I could take off earlier and it wouldn't look suspicious."

"Professor McGonagall knew about this?" Hermione gasped.

Ron raked his fingers through his hair nervously. "Yeah. She even taught me the method to transfigure these roses."

Hermione's mouth fell open. "You did all of this for me?" she whispered.

Ron swallowed and nodded. "Yes, Hermione. I did it all for you."

Hermione's gaze swept around the room before landing on the rose in her hand. She stared at the rose as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Ron, I don't know what to say," Hermione said softly.

Ron hung his head and frowned at the floor. "It's okay, Hermione. I never dared to hope that you felt the same way about me, but I couldn't deny it any longer. I had to tell you. I hope it doesn't ruin our friendship."

Hermione shook her head. "That's not what I meant, Ron," Hermione said. She stepped closer to Ron and tilted his chin up with her finger to raise his eyes to hers. She held his gaze and whispered, "I wanted it to be you."

Ron swallowed hard, his eyes holding Hermione's. "You did?" he asked throatily.

Hermione nodded as she closed her eyes and sniffed the rose again. She opened her eyes and looked at Ron searchingly. "Did you mean everything you said?" Hermione asked softly.

Ron nodded as he raised his hand to caress her cheek. "I meant every word."

Hermione leaned her head into his hand. "Will you keep your promise, then?" Hermione whispered.

Ron frowned. "Pardon?"

Hermione closed her eyes and recited, "So meet me tonight and I'll promise you bliss…"

Ron smiled and continued, "…If you will only grant me love's tender kiss."

Hermione opened her eyes and stared up at Ron. "I would grant you anything, Ron."

Ron grinned and cocked an eyebrow at her. "Anything?" he teased.

Hermione smiled as she slipped her arms around Ron's neck. "Well, let's see how this goes first."

Ron swallowed nervously as he cupped Hermione's face in his hands. He gazed into her eyes before leaning his head forward and capturing Hermione's lips with his own. Neither noticed the soft opening and closing of the door.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21 – Reading Between the Lines**

The weeks since Hermione's birthday had passed in a blur. Ron and Hermione were officially a couple, and even the taunts of Draco Malfoy could not bring them down. All of Gryffindor Tower had sighed a collective "It's about time," as the news spread only as it could in Hogwarts. Harry had worried briefly how his friendship with Ron and Hermione may change now that they were together, but other than putting up with their sappy glances and whispered teasing, the trio's friendships did not falter. Harry had never seen his two friends so happy, and he wanted nothing more than for them to stay that way.

October had arrived with warm breezes and the vibrant colours that only autumn could bring. The students enjoyed the lingering warmth of summer whenever they could by slipping outside between classes and at lunch; the sun casting its healthy glow over them. However, the pleasant weather belied the state of the wizarding world beyond Hogwarts. As the attack on Tonks and Shacklebolt had indicated, the second war had indeed begun.

Harry, Ginny, and Ron sat in the Great Hall ignoring the breakfast dishes laid before them, hanging on to every word as Hermione read from the_ Daily Prophet:_

_**Ministry Confirms Death Eater Attacks **_

_The Ministry of Magic confirmed this morning that the attacks on three wizarding families in London were the work of the much-feared Death Eaters. Marley McGee, Jean and John Jensen, and Emmanuel Irmine were discovered in their homes by Ministry officials after neighbours reported seeing the Dark Mark over the families' houses. As of yet, no information has been uncovered to link these attacks._

_Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, stated: "These attacks are random. There is no reason for the general public to panic. The Ministry has the situation under control and the perpetrators of these crimes will be brought to justice. While the nature of these crimes is unspeakable, I call on all wizarding families to maintain their faith in the Ministry, and in myself."_

_Funeral arrangements for the deceased will be announced in upcoming issues. _

Hermione scoffed as she threw down the newspaper in disgust. "Maintain our faith in that useless waste of human flesh," she muttered angrily, "I'd rather eat Flobberworms than put my trust in him!"

Harry, Ron and Ginny stared morosely at the paper on the table in front of them. None of them were shocked by Hermione's outburst; they had become more and more frequent as reports of Death Eater attacks were splashed almost daily on the newspaper's front page.

Ginny shook her head. "I swear Fudge looks more and more incompetent each day. Who does he think he is, telling us not to worry about 'random' attacks? Honestly, I'd feel better if the attacks _were_ connected in some way. Then at least we'd know who was in danger."

Ron frowned. "We're all in danger, Ginny."

Ginny matched her brother's frown. "Yeah, I know."

They sat quietly, taking in the new information. While they were used to reading about attacks, this was the first time there had been deaths since Harry's birthday.

Harry glanced at his friends, then said quietly, "I think Fudge is lying. I think these attacks are somehow connected, and for some reason Fudge feels that he needs to cover it up."

Hermione knitted her eyebrows as she stared at Harry. "What makes you say that, Harry?"

Harry shrugged. "Well, I'm not sure, but Fudge hates controversy. If the link between the attacks is questionable, it may show a weakness in the Ministry. Fudge worries about nothing more than making sure he looks good."

Ron snorted. "Poor job at that."

Ginny murmured in agreement while Hermione studied Harry. She pulled the newspaper towards herself again and scanned the article. A frown creased her forehead as she neared the bottom.

"What is it, Hermione?" Ron asked, leaning over her shoulder to look at the paper.

Hermione frowned and ran her finger over a line in the article. "This part of Fudge's statement seems out of place: _'…the nature of these crimes is unspeakable…'_ . First he says that there's no need to panic, but then he mentions that the nature of the crimes is _unspeakable_? Why would he even mention the nature of the crimes if he's trying to prevent panic?"

Ginny furrowed her brow. "It is odd. It's not very often that crimes are described as 'unspeakable'. Maybe 'heinous' or 'violent,' but not 'unspeakable.'"

"This _is_ Fudge we're talking about," Ron commented. "It's not like he's the brightest torch in the dungeon."

Harry studied Ron thoughtfully. "Ron," Harry began, "remember last year when … well, before … when I first asked you about the Department of Mysteries?"

Ron frowned. "I think so. Why?"

"What did you say the people that worked there were called?"

Hermione, Ron and Ginny answered together. "Unspeakables."

They stared at each other in silence.

"Do you think the people attacked were Unspeakables, Harry?" Ginny whispered.

Harry frowned. "It is a strange coincidence."

Hermione nodded. "That would make sense. Fudge would definitely need to keep that quiet. After what happened last spring in the Department of Mysteries, the press would have a field day if the Department was the target of Death Eater activity again."

Ron stared at Harry and asked quietly, "Do you think You-Know-Who's still after the prophecy?"

Harry swallowed hard. The conversation had just taken a turn he did not want to follow.

"Voldemort knows that the prophecy was destroyed, Ron," Hermione replied, "but maybe there's something else in there that he wants."

"Or someone," Ginny said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

Ginny glanced apprehensively at Harry, then replied, "Well, somebody must sort and label the prophecies in that room. Maybe Voldemort is trying to track down the person that labeled Harry's prophecy in hopes of finding out the contents."

Hermione's eyes widened as she turned her gaze to Harry. "Harry, maybe there's still a way for you to find out about the prophecy yourself," Hermione said excitedly.

"Why would he want to do that?" Ron asked. "So You-Know-Who will have another reason to come after Harry?"

"But if Harry knew what the prophecy said, he would have the upper hand," Hermione argued.

Harry sat quietly, becoming more and more uncomfortable. He knew he would eventually share the prophecy with his friends, but the timing did not feel right. He watched as Hermione and Ron bickered about him, slightly amused that they continued their squabbles even after they had begun dating.

"Will you two please stop?" Ginny said, holding her hand on her forehead. "I can't handle your little love battles this early in the morning."

Harry chuckled as Hermione's mouth open and closed, unable to retort, and Ron's ears burned red. Ginny glanced at Harry and winked. Harry nodded a silent thank you in her direction.

Ron recuperated quickly, however, and turned to Ginny. "Speaking of 'love', where's Dean?"

Ginny rolled her eyes, although unable to disguise the flush in her cheeks. "Unlike the two of you, we don't need to spend every waking minute together."

Ron's cheeks flushed, but he continued unfazed, "Don't people generally _want_ to spend time with their significant others?"

Ginny glared at Ron. "I didn't say I didn't _want_ to spend time with him, I just said we don't feel the need to spend_ all_ of our time together."

Ron's eyes narrowed as his train of thought shifted. "He's not doing anything to hurt you, is he?"

Ginny sighed. "No, Ron. Everything's fine. Not every couple is like you and Hermione. Look at Harry. I don't see Parvati anywhere."

Harry felt his cheeks flush as he was thrown unwillingly into the centre of their argument. Harry flashed Ginny a glare, but felt his face soften as he met her apologetic eyes. She was looking at him pleadingly, her brown eyes round and her top teeth nibbling her lower lip. Harry sighed, wondering silently how he could never stay mad at Ginny.

As if on cue, Parvati and Dean walked into the Great Hall, along with Seamus, Lavender and Neville. They were all talking excitedly as they sat down around the others.

"Did you guys see the notice board before you left the common room?" Dean asked Ron and Harry.

They shook their heads.

"It's the first Hogsmeade weekend," Parvati said, smiling at Harry as she took his hand in hers.

Harry took in Parvati's hopeful gaze, realizing that Hogsmeade trips were basically the only opportunities for actual 'dates' at Hogwarts.

"I reckon we should go together, yeah?" Harry asked Parvati.

Parvati's smile widened as she squeezed Harry's hand. "Of course," she replied, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. "I was hoping we could spend some time together. Alone."

Harry forced a smile on his face, hoping his discomfort wasn't showing through. "What did you have in mind?" Harry asked.

Parvati shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "I'll work it all out, don't worry."

Harry cocked his brow at her, but then shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, then."

Parvati glanced at Lavender, and then they each fell into a fit of giggles. Harry had given up trying to figure out the source of their behaviour long ago. Instead, he turned his attention to Ron.

"What's the plan for Quidditch practice today, Captain?" Harry asked.

Ron's face lit up as he dove excitedly into the plays he hoped to go over with the team. Harry listened attentively, much preferring this conversation than to talks of prophecies or Hogsmeade visits with giggling girls.

* * *

The worst thing about Mondays, was not the fact that they marked the beginning of a long, work-filled week, or the fact that the professors all seemed to have met secretly and decided that Mondays were the perfect days to load on the homework. The worst thing about Mondays could be simplified into two words as far as Harry was concerned: Double Potions.

Harry dragged his feet as he trudged along with this fellow Gryffindor sixth years to the dungeons. Their excitement from the Hogsmeade notice had quickly been squelched by the piles of homework they had been given so far. The school day ended with Double Potions, and everyone knew their spirits would only be squashed further.

Harry entered the Potions classroom and threw his bag beside his desk and slouched into his chair. Parvati slid in beside him, looking as though she felt as equally dejected as he did.

"Rough day," Harry said.

Parvati sighed and nodded. "If it's like this already in sixth year, I can't imagine what next year will be like."

Harry groaned. "I don't even want to think about it."

Parvati nodded and patted Harry's knee. "Well, let's not think on it then."

Harry smiled and nodded. "Agreed."

"So, do you want to get together tonight to get a start on some of this homework?" Parvati asked.

Harry ran his fingers through his hair. "Well, it's Monday, so that means – "

"Quidditch practice and battle training," Parvati finished. She stared at the desk top. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

Harry studied Parvati. Things had improved slightly since their argument on Hermione's birthday. They had talked the next day and Parvati had told Harry that she was sorry for the way she had been acting, but that all she wanted was some attention. Harry had apologized for his busy schedule, but also stated that Ron and Hermione were very important to him, and he would always do whatever he could to help them. Harry and Parvati had both agreed to be more understanding, and they had been true to their words.

"Want to come watch Quidditch practice?" Harry asked.

Parvati shook her head. "Lavender and I are going to visit Professor Trelawney. It's been ages since we've seen her and I'd hate to cancel."

Harry nodded his head while inwardly grimacing. He wasn't sure what to think about Professor Trelawney anymore. He had sided with Hermione for the majority of his years at Hogwarts, believing Trelawney to be a fraud. But, knowing that Trelawney had been the messenger of the prophecy concerning his fate with Voldemort, he no longer knew what to think. Either way, Trelawney always made him uncomfortable.

"I'll see you tonight, then," Harry said, squeezing her hand that was still resting on his knee.

Parvati smiled weakly. "After your training."

"Potter. Patil. Please keep you hands to yourself," Snape snarled as he strode to the front of the classroom.

Harry felt his cheeks burn as he let go of Parvati's hand and glared at Snape. Malfoy could be heard sniggering at the front of the classroom.

"And, while I've got your attention, Potter," Snape sneered down his long nose, "I've just come from the Headmaster's office. He asked me to inform you that you will not be attending Hogsmeade this weekend."

"What?" Harry blurted, his eyes popping open.

"Manners, Potter," Snape chastised silkily.

"Sorry,_ Professor_," Harry said, fighting to keep his voice steady. "Did you just say that I'm not allowed to go to Hogsmeade, _sir_?"

Snape smirked. "I always knew you were more dense than a cauldron bottom, Potter, but do you honestly need me to repeat myself in front of the _entire _class?"

Harry felt anger rush through him as he quickly glanced around the classroom. All eyes were on him, entranced by yet another feud between Harry and Snape. Harry's eyes landed on Malfoy. Harry had expected to see a smirk on Malfoy's face, but instead saw a look of interest and … contemplation? Harry's eyes snapped back to Snape.

"Did Professor Dumbledore say why, sir?" Harry asked between his clenched teeth.

Snape glared at Harry and snapped, "I am simply relaying the message, Potter. I do not presume to question the Headmaster or his decisions. I refuse to waste any more of my class time discussing your pathetic social circumstances."

Harry clenched his fists on the top of his desk as Snape began to drone on about today's lesson. He was furious that his Hogsmeade privileges had been revoked, and even more furious that Snape had made such a public display of it.

Harry's silent fumings were interrupted by the scraping of chairs around him. Harry glanced at the blackboard and saw Snape's written instructions flash across it.

Parvati lifted her cauldron onto her desk and turned to Harry. "Do you think Snape was serious?" she whispered.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. I think so."

Harry walked to the front of the classroom to pick up his ingredients. Malfoy stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

"Shove off, Malfoy," Harry growled.

Malfoy smirked and spoke to Harry, his voice uncharacteristically quiet. "Precious Potter not going to Hogsmeade. Dumbledore's keeping his prized boy in the castle. How very interesting."

Harry's heart pounded in his chest. Something in Malfoy's tone and demeanor was very unsettling for Harry, almost as though Malfoy knew something that Harry didn't.

Harry resorted to their usual banter. "How's dear old dad, Malfoy?"

Rather than scowling, Malfoy smiled broadly. "He's doing quite well, Potter," Draco continued, his voice low. He raised an eyebrow as he continued, "It was just last night that he was telling me how Azkaban's been such a _freeing_ experience for him."

Harry's heart stopped as he stared at Malfoy's smirking face. Harry turned on his heel and walked straight to Ron.

"I need a Skiving Snackbox," Harry hissed in Ron's ear.

Ron looked at Harry, concerned. "What is it, mate?"

Harry shook his head. "Not now. Have you got any on you?"

Ron nodded and reached into his pocket. He slipped a small two-piece candy into Harry's hand.

"You carry those around with you?" Hermione hissed from behind Ron.

Ron turned around. "I've started to, yeah."

Hermione looked scandalized. "You're a prefect!" she hissed.

Ron shrugged and grinned at her sheepishly, causing her to flush.

"You're incorrigible!" she muttered as a smile crinkled the corner of her lips.

"Thanks, Ron," Harry said as he strode back to the front of the class towards the ingredients again. Harry popped one half of the candy into his mouth. Ron hadn't said which kind it was, but Harry was pretty sure he recognized the colour.

Harry ignored Malfoy's sniggering as he passed Malfoy's desk. Harry took his time picking up his ingredients. He began to feel a burning at the back of his throat, and knew he had been right – he had just taken a Puking Pastille.

Harry loaded the ingredients into his arms, and began his journey back to his desk. To Harry's delight, Malfoy decided to block Harry's path again.

"Watch where you're going, Potty. I'd hate for you to drop anything," Malfoy sneered, elbowing Harry in the arm in an attempt to jostle the pile of ingredients stacked precariously in Harry's arms. The elbow was perfectly timed, as far as Harry was concerned, for in the next second, Harry vomited spectacularly over Malfoy's robes.

"Argh!" Malfoy exclaimed as he stared down in disgust at his spoiled robes. Harry would have laughed out loud if he hadn't felt the continued tossing of bile in his stomach. Malfoy's face was flushed in anger as his eyes glinted dangerously at Harry.

"You'll pay, Potter!" Malfoy snapped, shoving Harry away from him.

The ingredients in Harry's arms crashed to the floor as Harry stumbled into Malfoy's desk. As Harry's hands grabbed the edge of the desk to stabilize himself, he vomited in a perfect arc, directly into Malfoy's cauldron; Malfoy's potion was ruined.

"Professor!" Malfoy cried, his voice high and shrill. "Potter's ruined my potion!"

Snape swept over to Malfoy's desk and looked down his long nose at the mess on Malfoy's robes and then peered into Malfoy's cauldron.

"Explain yourself, Potter!" Snape spat.

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but immediately snapped it shut. Neither Fred nor George had ever said how truly sick the Puking Pastilles made you feel. The other half of the candy was in Harry's pocket, but he could hardly take it with Malfoy and Snape examining his every move. Harry's eyes burned as he willed himself not to puke again. He was unsuccessful. He puked all over the top of Malfoy's desk, ruining Malfoy's remaining ingredient, scrolls of parchment, and silver-plated quill.

"Professor!" Malfoy cried.

Snape eyed Harry curiously through narrowed eyes. "Get out of my classroom, Potter."

Harry nodded and rushed out of the classroom, hearing Malfoy protesting behind him. Harry rushed down the corridor, slightly amazed that he got away so easily. He distanced himself from Snape's dungeon before popping the other half of the candy into his mouth. The burning at the back of his throat and twisting of his stomach came to an abrupt stop. Harry marveled at the genius that was Fred and George.

Harry raced down the corridors towards Dumbledore's office. He stopped in front of the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the Headmaster's office.

"Puking Pastilles?" Harry said hesitantly, hoping Dumbledore hadn't changed the password since the start of the school year. Apparently, he had. The gargoyle remained unmoved. The irony would have been too much anyway.

"Fizzing Whizbees. Chocolate Frogs. Sherbet Lemon. Sugar Quills. Laughing Lollies. Strawberry Popps."

The gargoyle was motionless, appearing to stare at Harry haughtily.

Harry racked his brain frantically. Harry cocked his head as an idea struck him – the twins had provided inspiration earlier.

"Fainting Fancies? Rampaging Rashes?"

The gargoyle sprang aside, revealing the spiraling staircase to Dumbledore's office.

Harry rushed forward and tapped his fingers impatiently on the handrail as the staircase spiraled slowly upwards. Harry jumped up the final steps and knocked soundly on the large oak door. The door swung open to reveal a very grim-looking Professor McGonagall. Beyond her, Harry could see Dumbledore seated at his desk.

Dumbledore sighed. "Harry, if this has to do with your Hogsmeade trip, I'm certain our discussion can wait until after your Potions class."

Harry stepped into the office, shaking his head. "No, Professor. This has to do with Lucius Malfoy getting out of Azkaban."

Dumbledore's eyes darted briefly to Professor McGonagall before returning to Harry.

"Have a seat, Harry," Dumbledore replied tiredly.

Harry stepped forward, ignoring the chair that Dumbledore had indicated. "So, it's true, then," Harry said quietly, feeling a churning in his stomach that had nothing to do with Skiving Snackboxes.

"Please, Harry. Sit down," Dumbledore insisted.

Harry obliged, sitting on the edgeof the seat. McGonagall sat in the seat beside him.

"What have you heard, Harry?" Dumbledore inquired, his eyes piercing Harry's.

Harry ran his fingers through his hair. "It was something Draco said to me."

Dumbledore leaned forward in his chair. "What did Mr. Malfoy say?"

Harry scowled. "We were having one of our … er… discussions, and I asked him how his dad was doing. He said his dad was doing well and how last night his dad had been telling him how Azkaban had been a 'freeing' experience. The way he said it, I just felt something was wrong."

Dumbledore nodded, his eyes continuing to pierce Harry's. "Draco said he spoke to his father last night?"

Harry nodded.

Dumbledore looked at McGonagall. "Minerva?"

"Of course, Albus. I'll get right on it," McGonagall replied, standing up swiftly and exiting Dumbledore's office.

Dumbledore steepled his fingers in front of him as he peered at Harry over his half-moon spectacles.

"Are they all out, Professor?" Harry asked quietly.

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "I'm afraid so, Harry. Azkaban is completely empty."

Harry swallowed hard. "So, then, all the Death Eaters you captured last year … in the Department of Mysteries … they're all …" Harry felt his throat constrict as the idea overwhelmed him.

"Yes. They have all escaped. They are all out there," Dumbledore said solemnly, waving his hand toward the world that lay outside Hogwarts.

Harry felt sick. Not only had the war begun, but Voldemort had managed to get all of his supporters back in his ranks.

"That's why I can't go to Hogsmeade, then," Harry said dully, his earlier anger seeming so frivolous in light of this more recent news.

"Yes, Harry. And I apologize for the nature of Snape's message. I thought it best for your confinement to the castle to be public knowledge so that the news will travel. From what you've just told me, I am certain that the news will reach the Death Eaters themselves. The trip to Hogsmeade will be safer for the other students if the temptation of capturing you is not there."

Harry scowled. "I'm glad to help," he said sarcastically.

Dumbledore sighed deeply. "It is unfair, Harry. You have every right to feel cheated."

Harry slouched in his chair. "I feel used."

They sat in strained silence. Harry was tired of being used in one way or another to direct, or in this case misdirect, Death Eater activities. He was tired of his life being altered to protect the fun and enjoyment of others. He was tired of being forced to sit quietly like a good boy while the grown-ups all around him decided the best way for him to live his life, until they thought it was time for him to save their lives. He was tired of it all.

"Perhaps it would be best for you to return to your Potions class, Harry," Dumbledore said quietly.

Harry raised his eyes to Dumbledore. The old man sat behind his desk, staring solemnly at Harry. Harry did not feel anger towards the man as he thought he might. Rather, he felt frustration and disappointment.

"Of course, Professor."

Harry rose and walked slowly to the door.

"I'm sorry, Harry."

Harry paused and turned to look at his Headmaster and mentor. He nodded at Dumbledore and replied, "I know." He turned on his heel and left Dumbledore's office with a heavy heart and a clouded mind.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22 – Conversations**

Harry stepped off the revolving staircase leading from Dumbledore's office wearily. His mind was plagued with the information he had just received from Dumbledore. Harry had hoped his instincts about Draco's behaviour were wrong; unfortunately, they were bang-on. Draco had hinted at his father's freedom. It was strange how obvious Draco had been, really. That realization did nothing to calm Harry's nerves.

Harry's feet carried him through the castle and outside. Even as Dumbledore had suggested Harry return to class, Harry knew there was no way he was going back to Snape's class. Harry had been gone too long to be able to catch up on his potion. Snape would not hesitate to give Harry a zero, so what was the point in putting himself through the torture of sitting through the remainder of class? Harry knew he could very well be facing detention, but at this point, he could care less. There were much bigger things to worry about.

Harry walked around the lake to the secluded area he had found last year after the Department of Mysteries fiasco – where he had sat and mourned the loss of Sirius. Harry threw himself on the ground and drew his knees into his chest. He stared morosely across the lake.

Voldemort had his army back. Azkaban was empty. As bad as things had been since the attack on Tonks and Shacklebolt, they were about to get a lot worse. Harry knew daily attacks, and most likely murders, were inevitable.

And he was the only one who could stop them for good.

Bloody prophecy.

_…either must die at the hand of the other… _

Harry groaned as he pressed his forehead into his bent knees. Harry squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to force his thoughts of the prophecy from his mind. There was no use mulling about it. He had the bloody thing memorized; he had spent hours…days…months, analyzing it and came to the same conclusion each time – he was the only one who could end this war once and for all. He was the Boy-Who-Lived … the One … the only One who could vanquish the Dark Lord. With Voldemort alive and well, the war would rage on. Yes. It was all up to him. The famous Harry Potter.

Brilliant.

Harry sighed and raised his head to rest his chin on his knees once again. A soft wind rippled the surface of the lake, causing the water to reflect a distorted, abstract version of the fall scenery around him. Harry's eyes glazed over as he allowed the image to blur further. He lost himself in his thoughts, and only broke from his reverie some time later upon hearing voices coming to him from the other side of the lake.

Harry brought his eyes back into focus and surveyed the grounds leading to the castle. Students were spilling out the doors, signaling the end of another school day. Harry watched the students from a distance, envious of their laughter, and of their ignorance.

* * *

"Where have you been, Harry?" Hermione interrogated as Harry climbed through the portrait hole.

"Outside," Harry said blandly, walking past Hermione and heading for the boys' staircase.

"Oh, no you don't, Harry," Hermione scolded, grabbing Harry's arm. "You have some explaining to do."

Harry sighed and turned to look at Hermione. Ron had stepped up behind her and was giving Harry the same no-nonsense look. Harry scanned the common room and returned his gaze to his best friends.

"Not here," Harry replied, and then turned to climb the staircase.

Hermione and Ron followed Harry up the stairs and into the sixth year boys' dorm room. Harry was relieved to find the dormitory empty. He sat on his bed leaning against the headboard and resting his arms on his bent knees. Ron and Hermione each sat cross-legged at the foot of his bed, looking at him expectantly.

"What is it, mate?" Ron asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

"Is it your scar?" Hermione asked, her voice low.

Harry shook his head. He opened his mouth to reply, but was cut short.

"There you are!" Ginny exclaimed as she burst into the room. "I overheard Parvati and Lavender talking about you leaving Potions and not coming back, Harry. What happened?"

Ron scowled. "Ginny! You can't just come barging into the boys' dormitory. We could have been changing or something."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I have six older brothers, Ron. Since you're one of them, you should know I wouldn't find anything here that I haven't seen at home."

"But --" Ron began.

"Come sit down, Ginny," Hermione interrupted, casting Ron an exasperated look. "Harry was just about to tell us what happened."

Ginny smiled gratefully at Hermione and then sent a glare at Ron before plopping herself beside Harry. She turned to Harry with concerned eyes. "Go on, Harry."

Harry nodded and swallowed. He wasn't sure how to start. He took a deep breath.

"They've escaped. All of them. Azkaban's empty."

The silence in the room was deafening. Hermione, Ron and Ginny stared at Harry, their mouths gaping open, and their eyes wide in disbelief.

"The Death Eaters?" Ron choked out.

Harry nodded.

"How can that be?" Hermione questioned. "I thought the security at Azkaban had been enhanced."

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Dumbledore didn't say how."

"You talked to Dumbledore?" Ginny asked.

Harry nodded. He explained what Malfoy had said during class and how he got such a bad feeling from Malfoy's tone. He then relayed everything Dumbledore had said.

"Well, that explains why McGonagall pulled Snape and Malfoy out of class," Hermione replied.

"She did?" Harry asked, his eyebrows raised.

Ron nodded. "Yeah. Pandoran supervised the rest of the class."

"I wonder what Snape has to do with it," Harry pondered aloud.

"I imagine McGonagall wanted Snape involved in questioning Draco," Hermione surmised. "Draco would think he had an ally."

Harry nodded as he stared at his quilt.

"So, is this why you can't go to Hogsmeade?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded again.

"You can't go to Hogsmeade?" Ginny asked.

Harry glanced at Ginny. "No. Snape announced in front of the entire class that Dumbledore wasn't allowing me to go."

"Slimy git," Ginny muttered.

"We'll stay and keep you company, Harry," Hermione said patting his knee.

Harry shook his head. "No way. I'd feel worse if you guys stayed behind. Besides, who else am I going to get to refill my stash of sweets and dungbombs?"

"But Harry --" Ron began.

"No," Harry stated emphatically. "You guys go and enjoy yourselves. I'll be doing homework all day anyway. End of discussion."

Ron, Hermione and Ginny glanced at each other before nodding in agreement, knowing it would be useless to argue with Harry.

"Come on," Harry said, pushing himself off his bed. "We've got practice."

"Right you are, mate," Ron said jumping off Harry's bed. "And a great practice it will be! I've got all the new plays worked out, and I think Ginny and Dennis are going to be brilliant with a little practice. First, we'll need to…"

Harry shook his head and smiled as Ron ranted all the way out to the Quidditch pitch. Harry wished he could forget about the disturbing news as easily as Ron. Of course, Ron didn't have a bloody prophecy to worry about. Nor was Ron one to brood; no, that was Harry's specialty. Harry felt a scowl cross his face as the image of Malfoy's smug look flashed across Harry's mind. Harry lost himself in thoughts of Lucius Malfoy and the other Death Eaters that had, in all certainty, returned to Voldemort. The enemy had been fortified, and Harry had been grounded.

Harry was brought back to his senses as he felt a small hand slip into his. He looked down and saw Ginny staring up at him with concern etched on her face. She squeezed Harry's hand.

"All right, Harry?" she asked quietly.

Harry swallowed the huge lump that had formed in his throat. "Yeah – yeah, I'll be fine."

She squeezed Harry's hand again before releasing it. "Good, because I'm quite taken with my new Chaser position and I'd hate to have to revert to playing Seeker again."

Harry smiled. "There will be no need for that, Weasley."

Ginny grinned, causing an odd fluttering in Harry's chest. "Afraid of being shown up, Potter?" Ginny teased.

"Is that a challenge?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You better believe it," Ginny replied with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Name the time and place, Weasley. You're on," Harry said.

Ginny tilted her head and raised her eyes to the sky in thought. "I'll get back to you."

Harry chuckled. "You're not going to back out, are you?"

Ginny cocked an eyebrow. "Never. You won't know what hit you, Potter."

Harry grinned as Ginny turned on her heel and walked into to girls' dressing room. Harry shook his head as he entered the boys' dressing room feeling as though he had already been hit by something he couldn't quite identify.

* * *

Harry pushed his glasses up to his forehead and ground his knuckles into his tired eyes. He sat at a table in the Gryffindor common room surrounded by various textbooks and rolls of parchment. After a vigorous Quidditch practice that had run late, Harry had skipped supper and gone to his training with Pandoran. Harry, although already tired from Quidditch practice, had trained hard. Pandoran had taught him a few new defensive spells that were rather complicated, and Harry had to focus all of his concentration and energy on getting the spells right. After an hour of intense work, Pandoran had excused Harry early, stating that he had better get some rest or everything they were working on would be in vain. Harry had nodded and left without another word and walked straight to Gryffindor tower. He knew he had several hours of homework to do before he could get any of the rest that Pandoran had prescribed.

Harry removed his knuckles from his eyes and pushed his glasses back in place. He had got quite a bit accomplished already, but the essay he was currently writing for McGonagall was doing him in. The theory was very intricate, and the incantations were difficult. His brain felt overloaded, overworked, and overtired. He couldn't even beg Hermione for help since she and Ron had prefect duties for the rest of the night.

Harry sighed and returned to his work.

"Hi, Harry."

Harry looked up from his notes to see Parvati standing beside him.

"Hi," Harry said warily, trying to gauge her mood. He definitely did not have the energy for a row. "How was your visit with Trelawney?"

Parvati's eyes brightened as she sat in the chair beside Harry. "It was great. Lavender and I practiced reading tea leaves."

Harry nodded absently as memories of Trelawney reading his tea leaves in third year came flooding into his mind. Trelawney had seen the Grim in Harry's cup, and in Trelawney-style, had exclaimed in horror his impending death. Harry shook his head at the memory.

"Harry, just because you can't appreciate the art of Divination doesn't mean you can belittle my interest in it," Parvati snapped.

Harry's jaw dropped as his forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Pardon?" he asked.

Parvati sighed. "You do nothing to support my interests, Harry. You expect me to come watch your Quidditch practice, but all you do when I try to share something that's important to me is smirk and shake your head."

Harry sighed. "I wasn't belittling your interests, Parvati. I was just thinking about --"

"Whatever, Harry. Forget it," Parvati said, slouching in her chair and rolling her eyes.

Harry stared at Parvati. Why was everything so complicated with her?

Parvati nodded towards the pile of parchment in front of Harry. "How much work do you have left to do?"

Harry glanced at the mess of books around him. "I've got to finish McGonagall's essay."

Parvati raised an eyebrow. "That's not due until the end of the week."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, but I know Snape will load extra work on me tomorrow after having missed a double class today."

Parvati narrowed her eyes at Harry. "I was surprised when you didn't come back to class. What happened?"

Harry fiddled with the corner of his Transfiguration text. "I went to see Dumbledore."

Parvati leaned forward. "Did you talk to him about Hogsmeade?"

Harry glanced at Parvati before returning his gaze to the frayed corner of his textbook. "Yeah, that came up."

"So, are you allowed to go?" Parvati asked eagerly.

"No," Harry said quietly.

Parvati sighed. "Oh, come on, Harry. I'm sure you can change Dumbledore's mind. Why can't you go, anyway?"

"It's not safe for me," Harry said awkwardly. He had never been comfortable talking about this part of his life with Parvati.

"Why wouldn't it be safe?" Parvati asked, her nose wrinkled.

Harry fingered the edge of his text. "Dumbledore's worried that Voldemort may send Death Eaters after me."

Parvati rolled her eyes. "Oh, give me a break. I'm sure the Death Eaters have better things to do than go after a Hogwarts student in Hogsmeade."

Harry turned his gaze to Parvati. She had no idea. She was completely clueless. She had only heard rumours of his past experiences with Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Harry had never taken the time to work through the fact and fiction of the rumours with her. Parvati had no idea how intertwined the Death Eater's activities were with Harry's life. Harry couldn't really blame her for her ignorance. He had never offered to share the truth with her. In all honesty, he hadn't wanted her to know. He now realized that part of the reason he liked spending time with Parvati was the fact that there was nothing about her that reminded him of Voldemort or the prophecy. That had never been part of her life. She had provided a distraction from the thoughts that often haunted Harry's mind. Harry was now beginning to question how fair that was to either of them. How long could he pretend to ignore the prophecy and destiny that dictated his life?

Harry remained silent.

"Why don't you sneak out?" Parvati asked.

Harry shook his head. "No. That's not a good idea."

Parvati sighed. "Harry, I know in past years you've snuck out of Gryffindor Tower to do all sorts of things. Why not sneak into Hogsmeade?"

Harry shook his head. "No, Parvati."

Parvati slouched in her chair again. "I suppose you expect me to stay her too, then."

Harry sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "No, I don't expect you to stay here."

"Well, don't you want me to stay here with you?" Parvati asked sulkily.

Harry groaned. He could never win with her. She always seemed to put him on the defensive, and he was getting tired of it.

Harry turned in his chair and looked at Parvati directly. "This isn't working, Parvati."

Parvati sat up straight. "What isn't working?"

"Us," Harry replied.

Harry watched as the colour drained from Parvati's face. Her chin trembled as she asked, "What are you saying, Harry?"

Harry took a deep breath. "I don't think I can be what you need me to be, Parvati. I'm too busy, we never see each other, and when we do, we always seem to argue. I'm tired. I don't have the strength for this anymore."

Parvati blinked rapidly, fighting against the tears welling in her eyes. "You're breaking up with me?"

Harry took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, Parvati. I am."

Parvati's fingers swept quickly over the tears that escaped from her eyes. She took a deep breath and replied, "You're right, Harry. I do need more than you can give me. Besides, I've come to realize that you will never look at me the way you look at Ginny."

Harry's breath caught in his throat as his brows furrowed together. "What?" he asked hoarsely.

Parvati smiled and shook her head. "Honestly, Harry. You really need to stop denying that you have feelings for her."

Harry felt outraged. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Parvati. Ginny and I are friends."

Parvati smirked and rolled her eyes. "Right."

Harry pressed his lips together and felt his nostrils flare as he glared at Parvati. Parvati chuckled and wiped another stray tear off her cheek. She looked across the common room to where Ginny was sitting with several fifth year students. Harry followed Parvati's gaze and looked at Ginny. He noticed how the light from the torches danced on her hair, making it look like it was a source of fire itself. Ginny must have sensed Harry's gaze, for she looked up and locked her eyes with his. She flashed Harry a smile, causing a flurry of cartwheels to erupt in his stomach. Harry felt his face soften as a smile crinkled the corners of his mouth. Ginny turned back to her friends, leaving Harry staring at her from across the room.

"Am I wrong?" Parvati asked quietly.

Harry's eyes darted back to Parvati. She was smiling sadly, but amusedly as well. Harry's eyes glanced to Ginny briefly, before he focused on Parvati again. Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Parvati held up her hand to stop him.

"Don't say anything, Harry. I imagine the situation is more complicated than I realize. I do hope that the two of you can work it out, though. I know she's not happy with Dean."

Harry perked up. "She's not?"

Parvati smirked. "I thought you were her friend, Harry. Don't _you_ know?"

Harry frowned and looked over to Ginny again. He noticed her dart a glance his way. Harry felt Parvati's hand on his knee. He turned his head to look at her.

"Good luck, Harry," Parvati said, then rose from her seat and walked across the common room and up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

Harry sat in confused silence. His now ex-girlfriend just wished him luck on getting together with his best friend. Harry shook his head and marked that conversation as the strangest one he'd ever had in his life – and that was saying a lot.

Harry closed his eyes and sighed. He cleared his mind and returned to his Transfiguration essay. He set to work, oblivious to the common room emptying around him. He pored over his texts, and scribbled furiously across several sheets of parchment paper. He had gone through half of his inkbottle already, and showed no signs of stopping.

"Think you might come up for air, Harry?"

Harry looked up and met the chocolate brown eyes of one Ginny Weasley.

"Huh?" Harry muttered, slightly thrown as Parvati's accusation flitted through his mind.

Ginny chuckled as she sat in the chair that Parvati had vacated earlier in the evening. "Don't you think you've worked long enough?"

Harry stretched his arms out in front of him. "What time is it?"

"Nearly eleven."

Harry's eyes widened. "Guess I lost track of time."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "So it would seem."

Harry studied Ginny's face. Her dark eyes were sparkling at him as a smile twitched at the corner of her lips. Harry found himself staring at her lips, wondering if they felt as soft as they looked.

Harry tore his eyes away, his heart pounding against his ribcage.

_Merlin! Was Parvati right?_

"You all right, Harry?" Ginny asked, her voice filled with concern.

Harry swallowed hard, somewhat amazed at the huge lump that had formed in his throat. Harry ran his fingers nervously through his hair. "Yeah – yeah, I'm just tired."

Ginny placed her hand lightly on Harry's arm, sending a jolt of electricity through Harry's body.

"You need to get your rest, Harry," Ginny said concerned.

Harry nodded, frowning at the strange sensations he was having. "Pandoran said the same thing."

Ginny smiled. "You should listen to us, Harry."

Harry shrugged. "I suppose."

Ginny squeezed his arm. "Come on. I'll help you clean up."

Harry nodded and began gathering his textbooks as Ginny gathered rolls of parchment.

Ginny glanced at Harry from the corner of her eye. "I'm surprised Parvati didn't stick around to help you."

Harry shoved his textbooks into his school bag. "I don't reckon she'll be helping me much any more."

Ginny reached for a piece of parchment that had slid to the opposite side of the table. "Why not?"

"We broke up," Harry said simply.

Ginny's movements stilled as though someone had hit her with a spell. She eventually straightened and turned to face Harry. "You broke up?"

Harry nodded, noticing that Ginny's voice seemed higher pitched than usual. "Yeah, it's for the best."

Ginny surveyed Harry and then wrinkled her nose. "I never did much like her with you."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Oh no?"

Ginny shook her head. "Nah. You need a girl who doesn't need to be coddled. She was too high maintenance."

Harry sighed. "You're right. She was."

Ginny grinned and pushed the rolls of parchment she had gathered into Harry's arms. "Well, Potter. You'll have all the girls throwing themselves at you once word gets out that you're available again."

Harry blushed. "I doubt that, Ginny."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "I'll bet you five galleons that some girl will throw herself at you by lunch time tomorrow."

Harry surveyed Ginny. She was smirking at him, daring him to accept her wager. He smiled and held out his hand for her to shake. "You're on."

It became very apparent that Ginny knew the girls of Hogwarts much better than Harry did. Harry hadn't even managed to finish his bowl of porridge the next morning before girl after girl approached him, some under the guise of needing tutoring, others being much more blunt by slipping him notes asking him to meet them in specified broom cupboard at specified time. Ginny, meanwhile, was grinning widely at him from across the table.

"I do hope you can pay me before the weekend, Harry. I would love a little extra spending money in Hogsmeade," Ginny said coyly.

Harry groaned as another girl slipped him a note. "You'll get your money, Ginny, don't worry," Harry muttered. "I don't understand why the sudden interest."

Hermione leaned towards Harry and smiled sympathetically. "It's the battle training, Harry. Girls get all hot and bothered watching you train."

Harry choked on his pumpkin juice. "What?"

Ginny nodded. "It's true, Harry. I've seen the way girls look at you when you're explaining a spell or demonstrating a new technique. They're practically drooling."

Harry looked offended. "They do not."

Ginny and Hermione rolled their eyes. Ron leaned towards Harry and sighed. "It's true, mate. I've seen it myself."

Harry glanced at his friends who were regarding him with amusement. He shook his head. "I don't believe it."

Ron snorted. "Oh, believe it, Harry. You're practically another Gilderoy Lockhart."

Harry put his face in his hands. "I am not like Lockhart."

Harry heard giggling behind him and turned around in his seat. Two fifth year girls from Hufflepuff were standing and whispering behind him. When they noticed he was looking at them, they shrieked and then ran giggling from the Great Hall.

Harry moaned and buried his face in his hands. "How do I make this stop?"

Ginny smirked. "That's easy, Harry. Get yourself another girlfriend."

Harry stared at Ginny with his mouth hanging open. He swallowed hard and muttered, "Right."

Harry was quite sure that wouldn't be happening any time soon.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23 – Some Won, Some Lost**

Harry crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at the witch standing in front of him.

"State your terms," he said.

The red-haired witch grinned at him slyly. "Simple, Potter," she began, mimicking Harry's stance by crossing her arms across her chest. "A simple game of catch the Snitch. Loser has to cook supper for the winner."

Harry stared hard at Ginny as she stood her ground, daring him to accept. He was quite confident that he could win this game. He would never deny Ginny's exceptional ability at Quidditch, but her skills really helped her as Chaser, not so much as Seeker. Of course, Harry also had the fastest broom at Hogwarts.

Harry cocked his head to one side in thought. "What will the loser cook?"

Ginny smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Winner's choice."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Ginny nodded, never wavering her eye contact with Harry.

Harry smiled. "I hope you know how to cook steak, Weasley."

Ginny narrowed her eyes at Harry. "So, you accept the terms, then?"

Harry held his hand out to her. "Agreed."

Ginny slipped her small hand into Harry's and shook it to seal the deal.

It was Friday night, and Ginny had not forgotten about the challenge that surfaced before Quidditch practice on Monday night. Of course, Harry could really care less about the challenge itself. After another grueling week, including hours of extra work from Snape, Harry did not need an excuse to hit the Quidditch pitch for some flying. He longed for the release that flying always gave him. The fact that he'd be flying with a certain red-haired witch made no difference whatsoever, or so he told himself.

Harry watched Ginny as she opened the Quidditch supplies case to retrieve a practice Snitch. Parvati's accusation earlier in the week that Harry had romantic feelings for Ginny had Harry reeling. Although Harry had thought his mind would be free from frivolous thoughts about girls after he had broken it off with Parvati, he found he was thinking even more on the subject. About one girl in particular, if he was being completely honest with himself. He was completely flabbergasted by Parvati's allegation. It was completely absurd, he told himself. Ginny was the one who had a crush on him – or at least she used to. It was true, they had grown closer over the summer, but they had simply gone from being acquaintances to being best friends. To outsiders, Harry reasoned, their close friendship may appear as something more, especially when compared to previous years. But, the facts were simple. Harry and Ginny were friends. That was it. End of story.

So why did his heart race and his face flush every time she was near?

Harry hadn't quite figured that one out yet. But he was determined to do so. Tonight.

"You ready to eat my dust, Potter?"

Harry blinked and shook his head as Ginny's voice penetrated his thoughts. He moved his eyes to meet hers and felt his heart beat rapidly. She held the Snitch in one hand, and her broom in the other. One of her eyebrows was raised in question and her eyes were sparkling with amusement.

Harry smirked at Ginny. "The only thing I'll be eating is a thick, juicy steak."

Ginny grinned. "We'll see about that." She let the Snitch go, and they watched as it zoomed around them, and then flew high above them and disappeared. Ginny and Harry faced each other and straddled their brooms. Ginny stared hard at Harry. "On the count of three. One. Two. Three."

They both kicked hard off the ground and went soaring into the sky. Harry flew several laps around the pitch, not even looking for the Snitch. He glanced around and saw Ginny doing much of the same. He made several dives and loops, feeling the exhilaration from the stunts. He saw Ginny hovering a few feet above him, shaking her head and grinning at him.

"Are you trying to impress me, Potter?" Ginny called teasingly.

Harry pulled up and hovered in front of her. He grinned at her. "I don't know, am I?"

Ginny laughed and rolled her eyes. "Why would you need to impress me, Harry?"

Harry's heart thudded against his ribcage as he took in Ginny's flushed cheeks and teasing grin. Why would he need to impress her? Does one usually need to impress friends? Harry didn't think so.

Harry swallowed and shook his head. "I'm just trying to intimidate you with my flawless skills and abilities."

Ginny snorted. Harry grinned as Ginny surveyed him thoughtfully. He saw her eyes dart to the side, and then return to his. "You're awfully conceited for someone that's about to lose."

Harry cocked an eyebrow at her and was about to retort when Ginny suddenly darted to his left with a burst of speed. Harry quickly turned around and swore under his breath as he saw Ginny racing after the Snitch. Harry pressed himself against his broom as he chased after Ginny. She had a good head start. The cool evening air rushed against Harry, causing his eyes to water as he accelerated toward the ground. He was gaining on Ginny. The Snitch suddenly darted to the left and then up. Harry was now at the advantage as Ginny had to pull her broom up against her fast descent. The Snitch began to zigzag across the pitch, and Harry and Ginny were now side by side. Harry chanced a glance at Ginny. Her eyes were narrowed and a look of sheer determination was spread across her face. He almost felt like letting her win. Almost.

Harry turned his attention back to the Snitch. They were within a few metres. Harry pressed his body low, and burst ahead of Ginny. He reached his hand forward, and easily captured the Snitch. Harry turned his broom sharply to face Ginny and flaunt his victory. Unfortunately, she was much closer than Harry had realized, and his abrupt stop had not been anticipated. Ginny crashed into him, knocking them both off their brooms, and tossing them to the ground below.

Harry felt the air push forcefully out of his lungs as he landed flat on his back. He struggled to breathe in, his eyes tightly closed as the pain of his body crashing into the hard earth shot through him. The sound of ragged breathing beside him brought Harry back to his senses. His eyes shot open and he rolled to his side. Ginny was lying face down and not moving. Harry's heart pounded as he pushed himself to his knees and crawled over to Ginny. He could see her back rise and fall in sharp, uneven movements.

"Are you okay, Gin?" Harry asked, resting his hand on her shoulder.

Ginny nodded her head against the ground. "Just…catching…my…breath," Ginny rasped.

Harry nodded as he struggled to regain his own ability to breathe properly. He felt the Snitch struggle against his still-clenched fist. Harry allowed his body to fall to the ground beside Ginny, his hands resting on his chest as he took in deep, heavy breaths.

"I suppose you're going to use this as an excuse to get out of cooking me supper," Harry said.

Ginny turned her head to look at Harry, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Would it work?"

Harry chuckled as he turned his head to look at her. "No."

Ginny put on her best pout. Harry found himself staring at her, and began imagining ways to wipe that pout from her lips … preferably with his own.

Harry turned his head abruptly and stared at the sky above him. His heart pounded noisily in his chest. _What was going on? _Harry pressed his eyes shut as his mind began a slide show in his head: Ginny's hesitant smile as he opened his gift from her on his birthday; Ginny's eyes flashing with excitement after her first roller coaster ride; Ginny's cheeks flushed with anger after slapping Harry hard across the face; Ginny's eyes red and puffy after sharing her story of the Chamber of Secrets with Mr. Brooks; Ginny's threatening glare after he called her Red in the common room; and Ginny's irresistible smirk when she challenged him to their game of catch the Snitch. Harry tried to close his mind to the images, willing them to go away. But it was all in vain. Harry turned his head and found Ginny still pouting at him. His heart stopped as realization sunk in.

He was head over heels for Ginny Weasley.

And there was nothing he could do about it.

Harry felt his throat constrict as he stared into Ginny's eyes. They had returned to their mischievous sparkle that he so adored.

Stupid git! What had he done? How could he have not realized what was happening? If he had, then he could have prevented it, or at least stopped it before it got to this all-consuming, life or death, feeling that he now had. Oh, this was going to be torture. How does one survive falling for his best friend – wait…correction – his very unavailable, taken, currently in a relationship with his dorm mate best friend? Yes, he was definitely done for.

"Knut for your thoughts, Harry?"

Harry blinked and realized he had been staring at Ginny. He felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment. Ginny was no longer pouting, but a small smile played at the corner of her mouth. Harry could never remember finding a girl's mouth so intriguing before, but he found Ginny's fascinating.

"Earth to Harry!" Ginny said, pushing herself up to lean on her elbows.

Harry blinked and shook his head. "Pardon?"

Ginny laughed. "I'm beginning to wonder if you hit your head on that fall. Are you sure you're okay?"

_No_.

"Yes, I'm fine," Harry lied.

Ginny raised an eyebrow at Harry. "I guess that means you haven't forgotten the terms of our agreement?"

Harry chuckled, feeling as though he was slowly becoming more himself again. "No, I haven't forgotten, and don't even try pouting," Harry warned.

"I'm not pouting," Ginny replied, _pouting_.

Harry groaned. "Supper, Gin. You're cooking."

Ginny sighed and pushed herself up to sit cross-legged. "Fine. I guess you won it fair and square. I was so sure I was going to win, though. I've been on a winning streak this week."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Other than correctly predicting the actions of half of the girls in Hogwarts concerning my newfound eligibility, who else are you stealing money from?"

Ginny crossed her arms. "I did not steal your money, Harry. I won it."

Harry pushed himself up to sit cross-legged in front of Ginny. "True enough. Now, who else has been suckered into a wager with you?"

Ginny cocked an eyebrow at Harry. "You make me sound like some kind of manipulative trickster."

"Who else, Gin?" Harry pressed.

Ginny grinned, her eyes sparkling. "Hermione."

Harry laughed and looked at Ginny incredulously. "You won a bet with Hermione? How'd you manage that?"

Ginny shrugged her shoulders as the smile slid from her face. She moved her gaze to the grass by her feet, and said softly, "I just know my boyfriend better than Hermione."

Harry frowned at Ginny. There was something in the tone of her voice that disheartened him. A stab of anger dashed through Harry as he wondered what the Great Git Dean had done.

"Did Dean do something to hurt you?" Harry asked, struggling to keep his voice even.

Ginny sighed. "No. Well, not really."

"Not really?" Harry repeated, feeling his anger rise toward the Great Git.

Ginny looked at Harry hesitantly. Ginny hung her head and mumbled, "hedidnskmetohosme."

"Pardon?"

Ginny sighed as she began pulling out blades of grass. "He didn't ask me to Hogsmeade."

Harry stared at Ginny. The hurt was evident in her voice, and Harry began to imagine several hexes he would like to try on Dean. More importantly, however, he wanted to do anything to make her feel better, even if that included trying to make the Great Git look good.

"Maybe he just assumed you were going together, since, you know, you're dating and all," Harry said.

Ginny shook her head and laughed softly. "No, Harry. He made plans to go with Seamus and Lavender just before I came out here."

Harry's jaw dropped. "You're kidding me!"

Ginny raised her eyes to Harry's. "Nope."

Harry clenched his fists. "Stupid git."

Ginny shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever. It's not like we need to spend every waking minute together."

Harry knew Ginny was trying to brush off the Great Git's indiscretion. She obviously didn't want to make a big deal of it, so neither would he. Instead, Harry decided to change the subject.

"So, when do I get my supper?" Harry asked.

Ginny's face brightened. "How about tomorrow? I won't be long in Hogsmeade now, so I'll have lot's of time to prepare."

Harry grinned. "Tomorrow sounds perfect."

If Dean wasn't smart enough to spend time with Ginny on a Hogsmeade weekend, Harry would gladly keep her company.

* * *

Harry sat in the common room late Saturday afternoon surrounded by textbooks, inkbottles, and rolls of parchment. He had dragged himself out of bed early to see his friends off to Hogsmeade. He had to do a fair bit of convincing to get Ron and Hermione to actually leave; they had finally relented and promised to come back early. At that point, Ginny had invited Ron and Hermione to the supper she was preparing for Harry. She argued that it was easier to cook for a larger group anyway, and since Ron ate the equivalent of five regular-person meals, it would give her the opportunity to prepare a 'proper' meal. Ron had rolled his eyes, commenting that Ginny was sounding more like their mother every day.

Harry had tried not to feel too disappointed when Ginny had extended the invitation to Ron and Hermione. He had looked forward to spending time with Ginny, but reminded himself that there was no reason for them to spend time alone. It's not like they were dating, or that they ever would. After all, Harry had made a decision to get over this silly crush (although he was worried it may be more than a crush) straight away. As he had stared at the canopy over his bed last night analyzing his revelation about Ginny, he knew it was a hopeless situation. There were too many reasons why he could not have feelings for Ginny Weasley. Therefore, he had to get over her. Quickly. Before it was too late.

Harry stretched his arms above his head. He had been working non-stop all day. He was quite proud of the work he had accomplished already. He even ventured a guess that he would be ahead of Hermione in some of the work. Of course, he wouldn't hold his breath on that one; she was quite mad when it came to homework. Nevertheless, he had accomplished more than he thought he could. Now he could enjoy himself tonight without the nasty weight of homework hanging over his head.

Harry's thoughts moved to his lessons that week. Harry had expected Parvati to return to being Lavender's partner in their classes. To Harry's surprise, she continued to sit with him. She pointed out that they worked well together, and hoped that they could both be mature enough to continue to work together. Harry had agreed. Parvati really wasn't all that bad. She was a nice enough person. They just really did not work well together as a couple. They had both realized that and came out of the relationship rather unscathed. Parvati had even made a point to ask Harry before she left that morning if there was anything she could get him in Hogsmeade. Harry shook his head, thinking it was really too bad he was complete rubbish at dating. Yet another reason to get over Ginny. He couldn't risk ruining his friendship because he was completely inept at anything that had to do with girls.

Harry sighed and returned to his homework. The afternoon was fading, and it would soon be time to meet Ginny.

* * *

"Come in!" Ginny's voice floated through the closed door of the Room of Requirement.

Harry turned the doorknob and did a double take when he walked through the door. The Room of Requirement had made itself into the spitting image of the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. The image was so exact, that Harry turned around to look at the Hogwarts hallway behind him to verify his whereabouts. He stepped forward, allowing the door to shut behind him. He gazed around the familiar surroundings as a grin spread across his face.

"Do you like it?" Ginny asked as she bustled into the room carrying a tray with bottles of Butterbeer. Harry smiled at her.

"It's brilliant," Harry commented truthfully.

Ginny's face lit up as she grinned at Harry, causing his traitorous stomach to flip. "I figured if we can't take you to Hogsmeade, we'd bring Hogsmeade to you."

Harry smiled as he gazed at Ginny. "Thank you."

Ginny shrugged and set the bottles of Butterbeer on the table. "Would you like a drink?"

Harry nodded and walked to the table that Ginny had set the drinks on. He picked up a bottle, uncorked it, and took several deep gulps. He closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the Butterbeer sliding down his throat. Ginny grabbed a bottle for herself, and plopped down in a chair. Harry found himself watching her as she raised the bottle to her lips. Ginny took several sips, and then licked the foam from her lips. Harry stood motionless, mesmerized.

"Something wrong, Harry? Do I have something on my face?" Ginny asked.

Harry started and realized he had once again been staring unabashedly at Ginny. _What is wrong with me?_ he asked himself. He felt his cheeks colour as he sat in a chair opposite Ginny. "No, sorry. I was…er…just thinking."

Ginny raised a questioning eyebrow at Harry, but decided not to pursue it. Instead, she commented, "I thought you were Ron and Hermione. I asked them to come early to help me get ready. Have you seen them?"

Harry shook his head, glad that he had skirted yet another awkward moment with Ginny. "No. I haven't seen them since they left this morning."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I imagine they're off snogging at Madame Puddifoot's or the like."

Harry snorted. "I'd rather not think about that."

Ginny pulled her face into a grimace, which Harry noted was still a picture of beauty, and said, "Neither would I."

"What were they supposed to help you with? Maybe I can help," Harry said.

Ginny shook her head. "No thanks. You really should be scolding me for asking for Ron and Hermione's help. You could argue that asking for help breaks the terms of our agreement."

"Did you cook the supper for tonight?" Harry asked.

"Yes."

"Then the terms have been fulfilled. It was your decision to make more work for yourself by inviting Ron and Hermione, so I don't think you're cheating by asking for help."

Ginny frowned. "You're not upset that I invited them, are you, Harry?"

_Oh, bugger. _

"Er … no, of course not," Harry replied, trying to sound believable. "The more the merrier, as they say."

Ginny surveyed Harry as she bit her bottom lip. "I'm sorry. I didn't even think to ask you if you would mind."

Harry shook his head, feeling his cheeks burn. He swallowed and replied, "Why would I mind?"

Ginny shrugged. "Well, I don't know about you, but sometimes I find that a break from those two isn't such a bad thing."

Harry shrugged. "I'm so busy that I hardly see them anymore, or you, for that matter."

Ginny leaned her elbows on the table as she studied Harry intently. "How are you doing with all that inordinate amount of work, Harry?"

Harry shrugged as he spun his bottle on the table with his hand. "So far, so good. I mean, I'm pretty much exhausted _all_ the time, but otherwise things are going well."

Ginny surveyed Harry thoughtfully. "If you're exhausted, maybe you need a break."

Harry shrugged. "That's what weekends are for."

Ginny snorted. "Right. How much time did you spend relaxing today?"

Harry eyed Ginny. She was staring at him with a mixture of accusation and concern.

"How long have I been here?" Harry asked jokingly.

Ginny sighed. "Harry, you need time to recuperate from your busy schedule. If you don't, you'll go crazy."

"I don't have time to recuperate," Harry said shrugging.

"You need to make time, Harry. You're a teenager. Once in awhile you should act like one."

Harry stared hard at Ginny. He tried not to feel angry by her words. He knew she was right. He was, in fact, a teenager, and he rarely, if ever, acted like one. But he didn't really have that luxury. Sure, most blokes his age spent much of their time goofing off with friends and chasing after girls, but Harry did not. He could not. Wasn't his attempt to have a relationship with Parvati a perfect example of how Harry could not be a 'normal' teenager? He was not normal, how could he expect anything in his life to be?

"I can't, Ginny," Harry replied.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at Harry. "Harry, you, more than anyone, deserve to act foolish sometimes. You've put up with so much in your life, you have every right to shirk responsibility now and then and have fun."

"Ginny, I'm not one to 'shirk responsibility'," Harry said.

Ginny moaned and put her forehead in her hands. "I know, I know. It's one of the things I love about you."

Harry stared at Ginny with his mouth hanging slightly open. He was having a hard time moving beyond the part where Ginny said that there was something about him that she loved.

_She had used those words, right? I wasn't imagining it. Yes, yes, she did use those words. But, it doesn't mean anything. It's one of those platonic, 'love you like a brother' things. Nothing worth getting your knickers in a twist over, Potter._

Ginny continued her rant. "But you've got to have fun too, Harry. If you don't, you'll go mad and probably take the rest of us with you."

"I have fun when I'm with you," Harry blurted, and immediately felt like crawling under the table.

_Bloody hell! I did not just say that, I did not just say that… _

Ginny surveyed Harry, her forehead wrinkled as though she were trying to decipher a puzzle. Her face then softened as she smiled. "Well, maybe we need to spend more time together, then."

Harry felt his face redden. Harry cleared his throat. "So, what do you think happened to Ron and Hermione? Shouldn't they be here by now, even if they decided to skive off their helping duties?"

Ginny sighed and looked at her watch. "Yeah. I can understand Ron being late, but not Hermione. Something must have come up. Shall we get started without them?"

Harry shrugged. "Sure. Their loss."

Ginny smiled as she stood. "Very well, Mr. Potter. Prepare your taste buds to be dazzled."

Harry grinned as he watched Ginny sweep from the room to the adjoining kitchen. If Ginny was half the cook that her mother was, Harry knew he was in for a treat.

Ginny returned momentarily with two plates piled high with food. She set them down on the table before settling into her own seat.

"This looks amazing, Ginny," Harry said, his mouth watering as his eyes took in the thick steak, mound of potatoes, and pile of grilled vegetables on his plate.

Ginny lifted her Butterbeer bottle towards Harry for a toast. "To having fun."

Harry blushed, but raised his glass to Ginny. "To having fun … and winning bets."

Ginny stuck her tongue out at Harry before clinking her bottle against his. They both took a sip from their bottles and turned their attention to their plates. Harry grasped his fork and knife, anxious to taste the steak he'd been thinking about all day. Harry cut into his steak, the juices spilling onto his plate. The meat was tender, and cooked just the way he liked it. Harry smiled at Ginny, who was watching him expectantly. He raised his fork to his mouth –

"Harry Potter! Harry Potter, sir!"

Harry dropped his fork in surprise and it clattered noisily to the table. Harry turned his head and saw Dobby rushing into the room.

"What is it Dobby?" Harry asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice. "I'm about to eat."

Dobby nodded, but tugged at Harry's sleeve. "Dobby apologizes, sir. But Mr. Wheezy is in trouble."

Harry's face blanched as he felt his stomach drop to his knees. Harry glanced at Ginny, whose eyes were wide as she stared at Dobby.

"What do you mean, Dobby?" Harry asked.

"An attack, sir. An attack in Hogsmeade. Dobby was cleaning in Professor Dumbledore's fireplace when an urgent message came in, burning Dobby, sir. The message says students attacked in Hogsmeade."

Harry's mouth felt as though it were full of cotton. His heart thudded in his chest as his mind raced. He looked at Ginny. Their eyes met and a silent agreement was made. Harry and Ginny stood up and raced out of the room.

"Thank you, Dobby!" Harry called over his shoulder as the door to the Room of Requirement shut behind him.

Harry and Ginny ran full speed down the corridor and down the stairs leading to the main entrance. They passed several students on the way, and Harry cursed at a Slytherin fourth year that refused to move out of the way. Harry jumped down the final four stairs in one leap and ran across the Entrance Hall towards the doors. Several aurors stood watch, and held their arms up to block the way.

"I need to go to Hogsmeade," Harry panted, trying to dodge the aurors' arms.

"No, Mr. Potter. You will stay here," one of the aurors stated authoritatively.

"Please," Ginny cried. "We know there's been an attack. We want to help."

The aurors glanced at one another, but stood firm. "No students are to leave the castle."

Harry groaned and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Ginny asked the aurors pleadingly.

The aurors crossed their arms and shook their head.

Harry glanced at Ginny. Her eyes were wide with fright, but also with annoyance. Harry could see the Weasley temper bubbling just under the surface of her well-composed face.

"I'm sorry, Gin," Harry said, feeling helpless and beginning to pace around the Entrance Hall.

Ginny crossed her arms and glared at the aurors. They ignored her, which only seemed to infuriate her further.

"We can't just stand here and do nothing!" Ginny cried after several minutes.

Harry stopped his frantic pacing and looked at Ginny. Her face was pale, and all traces of her temper were gone. Instead, she looked worry-stricken. Harry wished he had something to say to give her comfort, but he knew there were no words that would ease the tension. Instead he walked over to her and put his arm around her. Ginny leaned her head against Harry's shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist. They stood and waited.

The castle was eerily quiet. The students that had already returned from Hogsmeade seemed to have returned to their respective dormitories. There were not even students moving to or from the Great Hall. Harry and Ginny stood alone, except for the two aurors guarding the doors.

Three-quarters of an hour later, Harry and Ginny broke apart as the sounds of footsteps could be heard clambering up the stairs leading to the castle. Harry and Ginny turned to stare at the door, waiting.

A rush of students poured through the doors. They had obviously been in Hogsmeade during the attack. Many of them were scratched, bruised or bleeding. Those that didn't appear to have any injuries wore a haunted look on their face. The students were surrounded by aurors, and Professor McGonagall led them into the Entrance Hall.

"Everyone is to go straight to their dormitory. Those students that require medical attention will be collected by their Head of House. The aurors will escort you to your rooms."

The students began shuffling their separate ways. Harry watched in horror as student after student walked past him, the smell of battle still clinging to them. Ginny gasped beside him and tugged on his arm.

"There they are!" she exclaimed.

Harry looked in the direction she was pointing and saw Ron and Hermione walking through the doorway. They were directing several Gryffindor students toward the staircase. Ron had several scratches across his cheek while Hermione's hair nearly stood on end with electricity.

"Ron!" Ginny called.

Ron's eyes fell on Harry and Ginny, and he steered Hermione in their direction.

"What happened?" Harry and Ginny both asked.

Ron ran his fingers through his hair. "They came out of nowhere. One minute we were having a nice walk, and the next, there were Death Eaters apparating everywhere."

"What did they want?" Harry asked, his mouth dry.

Ron shrugged. "Don't know. They seemed pretty happy just to cause as much destruction as they could."

Harry swallowed. "Do you…do you think they were looking for me?"

Hermione glanced at Ron hesitantly. "I think they knew you weren't going to be there, Harry."

Harry narrowed his eyes at Hermione. "What makes you say that?"

Hermione bit her lip. "There's something you need to know…"

Harry stared at Hermione impatiently, his heart pounding frantically in his chest.

"What?" Harry asked.

"It's – " Hermione began.

"It's all _your_ fault!"

Harry stumbled as a set of hands pushed him forcefully in the chest. Harry regained his balance and stared at his attacker.

"Padma?"

Padma Patil pounded her fists against Harry's chest as tears streamed down her face. "It's all your fault, Harry. She should have never gone alone! But she was too upset… they knew about the two of you… but it was you they wanted. Why didn't they take you? Why weren't you there instead? I warned her about you, but she wouldn't listen. You're always saving everyone, why didn't you save her? Why weren't you there to save her, Harry? Why ….why?" Padma broke down crying.

Harry stood frozen in complete shock as his ex-girlfriend's twin sister sobbed into his chest. Harry looked at Ron and Hermione questioningly.

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other and then looked at Harry.

"Parvati's gone."


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: I'm trying something new this chapter… I'll be switching back and forth from Harry's POV to Parvati's. Thanks go out to Marta for the brilliant suggestion, and to Kate for your input.

A/N 2: This chapter contains some strong language.

**Chapter 24 - Unknowing **

_"Parvati's gone." _

Harry stood dumbfounded. He looked from Ron to Hermione and back again, while Padma continued sobbing into his chest.

"What?" Harry croaked.

Hermione eyed Padma hesitantly. "We don't really know what happened. We just heard that she was taken," Hermione replied.

"Taken?" Harry asked.

Padma pushed herself away from Harry's chest. Her sobbing had gone from hysterical to quiet sniffling. Harry looked down at Padma, guilt spreading to every corner of his body. Padma was staring at the floor, her chin quivering.

"It was Death Eaters," Padma said quietly. "They took my sister."

Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron stared at Padma silently. Harry felt a lump rise in his throat. Padma looked completely lost, as though a part of her were missing. The four Gryffindors stood awkwardly as Padma stared at the floor, lost in her thoughts.

Hermione broke the silence. "Were you there, Padma, when they took her?" Hermione asked gently.

Padma jumped, as though she were surprised to see them there. Her eyes traveled from Hermione, to Ron, to Ginny, and rested on Harry. Padma's eyes were not as accusatory as they had been, but they still held a shadow of resentment. She moved her gaze back to Hermione.

"No, I wasn't there. Not at first, anyway," Padma replied sadly.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Ginny asked quietly.

Padma's eyes began to fill with tears again. "Parvati had left on her own to check out an obscure shop I had never heard of. Professor Trelawney had recommended it. I offered to go with her, but since… well … all week she's been spending a lot of time alone," Padma began, her eyes darting angrily to Harry. "She was supposed to meet Lavender and me in front of the Three Broomsticks. That's where I was waiting for her when … " Padma paused as tears slid down her cheeks, "when I heard her scream."

A bone-chilling silence filled the Entrance Hall. Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione stared at Padma wide-eyed. Padma continued.

"I ran to look for her. I followed the sound of her voice and saw her at the end of a side street. I called to her, but she was surrounded by Death Eaters. They were… holding her … by the th-throat. They were yelling at her. Then… then they all … just disappeared."

"Did you hear what they were saying?" Hermione asked.

Padma turned her gaze to Harry. "All I heard was Harry's name."

Harry felt as though a rock had been dropped in his stomach. Death Eaters had taken Parvati and the only clue led straight to him. Guilt overwhelmed him. Somehow the Death Eaters had found out about Parvati and him, and because of that, they had taken Parvati. Padma was right. It was Harry's fault. Harry's stomach twisted painfully.

"Padma," Harry began, taking a step towards her. "I'm sorry."

Padma took a step back, a look of fear crossing her face. "Stay away from me, Harry."

Harry stopped. Padma's voice cut through him like a knife. He swallowed and nodded. "Right."

Harry turned on his heel and walked away. He ignored Hermione and Ginny's pleas for him to stop. He couldn't stay. He shouldn't stay. Padma had made her feelings clear.

Harry ran up the many staircases to Gryffindor Tower. He muttered the password to the Fat Lady, threw himself through the portrait hole, ignored the curious glances by the students in the common room, and ran up the staircase leading to the boys' dormitory. Harry fell onto his bed, burying his face in his arms. Anger pulsed through his body. He wanted to scream, yell, fight. He jumped to his feet and kicked his bed angrily. He tore the hangings around his bed off their rod and ripped them in half. He grabbed his alarm clock and hurled it against the wall. Finding nothing else to destroy, he began pounding his fists into the stone wall beside his bed. He ignored the pain, the blood.

"How the hell do you expect to catch the Snitch if your hands are broken?"

Harry turned to see Ron leaning against the doorjamb.

"How long have you been there?" Harry growled.

"Long enough to see my star Seeker destroy his hands," Ron replied.

Harry slumped down against the wall, leaning his bleeding hands over his bent knees, scowling.

"Why'd they take Parvati?" Harry muttered.

Ron walked over and slumped down beside Harry. "Don't know, mate. Doesn't really make sense, does it?"

Harry shrugged, watching the blood from his knuckles snake its way down his fingers. "They must've known that we dated."

Ron frowned. "But you've broken up."

Harry sighed. "Yeah, well Voldemort knows how I love to play the hero. I'm sure he realizes that I'd blame myself if _any_student from Hogwarts was taken. Taking my ex-girlfriend just makes it more personal."

"You would think if he really wanted to rile you, he would have taken Hermione or me. Or even Ginny, Neville or Luna. They were all at the Department of Mysteries. The Death Eaters would have surely passed that information on," Ron commented.

Harry groaned. "Who knows why that bastard does what he does."

Ron nodded. "True enough. But Harry, you can't blame yourself about Parvati."

"Can't I? Didn't Padma say that the only thing she heard when the Death Eaters took Parvati was_ my_ name?" Harry argued.

Ron leaned his head back against the wall. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. "You can't blame yourself for something that is completely out of your control. There was no way for you to know that Parvati was in danger. There was no way for you to stop it from happening. There was nothing you could have done, Harry. It's not your fault."

Harry pushed himself to his feet and began pacing. Drops of blood splattered on the floor as it fell from his fingertips. "But it is my fault. If I could just get rid of Voldemort for good, then everyone would be safe."

Ron snorted, lifting himself to his feet. "Harry, it's not up to you to 'get rid of V-Voldemort'. Don't put that on yourself."

"Maybe it is up to me," Harry muttered under his breath.

"Pardon?" Ron queried.

"Nothing," Harry mumbled, waving his hand at Ron dismissively.

Ron surveyed Harry. "Harry, you don't have to be involved in this."

Harry glared at Ron. "I'm already involved, Ron. I've got this fucking scar on my forehead as proof. Don't tell me I'm not involved."

Ron shook his head. "You know, sometimes I think you _like_ being in the middle of everything."

Harry looked at Ron incredulously. "What?"

Ron nodded, gaining momentum. "It's like you can't stand that the Death Eaters went after someone else. It always has to be about you, about the Boy-Who-Lived. Maybe it's not about you. Maybe Voldemort has some other sick plan that has absolutely nothing to do with you. This war is not only about you, Harry."

"You don't have a fucking clue," Harry spat.

"So, tell me," Ron yelled. "What's with the mystery? What's with the mightier than thou attitude? What makes you better than the rest of us?"

"I'm not … I didn't say … you don't understand," Harry growled.

"How could I? I've never had what you have. The fame, the glory, the adoration of our teachers … you're right, Harry, I don't understand. You've never given me the chance to try and understand. You take everything on your own shoulders and don't think twice about anyone else. And we've tried, Harry. We've tried to understand. Did you even notice the rest of us fighting by your side last spring? Did you care that we risked being expelled, never mind killed, when we went with you? Did you even think about the fact that Hermione almost died? Did you ever wonder what effect those brains had on me? Did you ever question why Ginny has no closefriends in her own year? No, you haven't because you're so wrapped up in your own world where everything centres around the Boy-Who-Lived that you can't even see what's in front of you. We've put ourselves on the line without hesitation, and for what? When do _we_ get our glory, Harry? When do we get recognized for our part?" Ron ranted.

"You want recognition?" Harry blasted. "You want the fame and the glory? Take it! I don't want it! I never asked for this. Don't you think it kills me that all of you have been dragged into this? I tried to push all of you away this summer, but you wouldn't let me. I didn't want you involved. I know what you and Hermione and Ginny have done for me, and I know I don't deserve it. But there are things you don't understand. There are things you don't know."

"Tell us, Harry," Ron pleaded. "We can't help you if we don't know."

Harry ran his fingers through his hair. "I… I… I can't."

Ron groaned. "Fine. You want to fly solo, go ahead. But don't expect us to put up with this bullshit. We're tired of this same charade being played over and over again. We're tired of trying to convince you that you're not to blame. When you're willing to climb out of this pit of gloom you've thrown yourself in, you know where to find us."

Ron stormed out of the dorm, leaving Harry glaring after him.

* * *

Parvati moaned softly as she struggled to sweep cobwebs from her mind. She felt groggy and cold and sore. She struggled to form coherent thoughts. Her brain would not cooperate; she had no idea where she was or how she got there. She lay face down on a hard, dirt-packed floor, her body aching and heavy.

Parvati pried her eyes open, only to be met with an inky blackness. She pushed herself up, balancing her weight on her hands as she sat and peered into the darkness around her. Her head pounded furiously, drumming a steady rhythm in her ears.

Parvati drew her knees into her chest and hugged them tightly. She fought against the pain in her head; she struggled to remember. Parvati grasped to the first memory that flashed through her mind – Hogsmeade.

_I was in Hogsmeade … I was … alone. Harry couldn't go … Harry … _

Parvati's heart ached dully as her thoughts moved to Harry. Although she had played the well-adjusted, moving-on-with-my-life, ex-girlfriend role extremely well, Padma and Lavender didn't buy it. They remembered how Parvati had talked about everything and anything Harry Potter for the past six months. They knew how embarrassed she had been when she kissed him out of the blue after a Potions lesson, and how elated she had been when he had kissed her in Care of Magical Creatures. And then … he had finally asked her to be his girlfriend. Parvati had been thrilled. And she had never been more devastated than the day he dumped her. Padma and Lavender knew this as well.

Parvati had not been completely surprised by Harry's actions. She had noticed early on how his demeanor always changed as soon as Ginny Weasley was around. Parvati had at first believed it to be coincidence, but eventually realized she was only fooling herself. Harry was obviously attracted to Ginny, whether he was willing to admit it or not. The fact that Harry seemed to be forcefully denying it is what gave Parvati hope. If Harry did not want to admit his feelings for Ginny, wouldn't that mean he would want someone else? And why couldn't that someone else be Parvati?

Parvati sighed. She knew she had been a fool. She knew she should have walked away when she first realized Harry's heart was elsewhere. She knew she was acting desperate and pathetic, and she felt ashamed. But, she couldn't let go. She held on to the faint hope that he may eventually notice her. Really notice her. Like he noticed Ginny. But, Parvati's hopes were never fulfilled.

Which led her to being in Hogsmeade alone. Both Lavender and Padma had tried to keep her company, but she did not feel like pretending. Truthfully, she knew she did not have to pretend with either of them. However, she did not want to have to put up with their sympathetic smiles or knowing looks. She didn't have the strength. They had tried to convince her that she shouldn't be alone, but she had been adamant. They acquiesced only after Parvati had agreed to meet them at the Three Broomsticks in the late afternoon.

Parvati replayed what she could remember of her afternoon in her mind.

_Parvati walked to Hogsmeade with Padma. Padma kept the conversation light and Parvati decided to go with her sister into a few shops. Parvati could tell that Padma was trying to cheer Parvati up, but Parvati knew what she really needed was some time alone. They eventually parted ways with Padma reminding Parvati of her promise to meet Lavender and her later at the Three Broomsticks. Parvati slipped into a few shops, and then made her way to a small shop called Navigating Nostradamus. Professor Trelawney had recommended the place, and, upon entering, Parvati immediately determined why. The small shop was crammed full with books, crystal balls, tarot cards, candles, an assortment of teas, telescopes, among many other objects that Parvati could not identify. Parvati took her time and examined the items on the shelves in awe._

_Parvati eventually found herself in a fascinating conversation with the shopkeeper. A tiny, slight witch with long, frizzy, blonde hair and bright blue eyes talked excitedly with Parvati about the various artifacts in the shop. When she learned that Parvati was from Hogwarts, they fell into another conversation about Professor Trelawney. The shopkeeper told Parvati that she was scandalized when she heard that that horrible Umbridge woman had nearly run Trelawney out of Hogwarts. Parvati and the shopkeeper shared their love of Divination and their belief that Trelawney was a remarkable teacher. They talked for over an hour, oblivious to the other people in the shop; oblivious to a pair of wizards in long black robes listening intently to their conversation._

_The chime of a clock on the wall alerted Parvati to the fact that she was supposed to be meeting Padma and Lavender. She said goodbye to the shopkeeper, promising to stop by the next time she was in Hogsmeade and to pass on a hello to Professor Trelawney._

_Parvati left the shop with a distinct bounce in her step. She was feeling better than she had all week. It was refreshing to find someone to talk to about her passion. Sure, Lavender enjoyed Divination as well, but Lavender much preferred to talk about boys, and Parvati wasn't too keen on that subject at the moment._

_Parvati walked down the small roadway leading to the main road in Hogsmeade. In the distance, she could see students crossing the street ahead of her. She picked up her pace, anxious to meet Lavender and Padma and tell them about her amazing conversation with the shopkeeper of Navigating Nostradamus._

_Parvati was nearing the main road when she felt an unknown force throw her to the ground. The sting of a hex ran through her as she fought to catch her breath after being winded by her fall. Parvati felt someone grab her arms and yank her to her feet. Panic set in, and Parvati screamed as her eyes fell on the masks of two Death Eaters. One of the Death Eaters gripped Parvati by the throat and yelled at her._

_"You best be keeping that mouth of yours shut," he growled._

_Parvati fought to breathe as her windpipe constricted by the force of the Death Eater's grip. Tears ran down her face as she nodded her head._

_The second Death Eater pointed a wand in Parvati's face. "This can be easy, or this can be difficult. Keep quiet and we may not hurt you," he snarled._

_Parvati struggled against the hand around her neck. She thought about her wand inside her robes, but knew she couldn't get to it fast enough._

_"Wh-what do y-you want?" Parvati choked._

_"What did I tell you? Keep that mouth of yours shut, you stupid girl!" the first Death Eater shouted, his grip tightening. Parvati began to feel light-headed, barely conscious of the fact that several other Death Eaters had appeared. Parvati closed her eyes against the rain of voices around her._

_"Are you sure that's the one?"_

_"No doubt about it."_

_"How can you be sure?"_

_"I'm sure. Heard her talking and everything. She's definitely the one."_

_"Are you going to get us what we want?" sneered a Death Eater. Parvati opened her eyes and found the mask of a Death Eater inches from her face._

_"We can't do this here!" shouted one of the new Death Eaters. "Even with Potter not here, the place is swarming with aurors!"_

_"Parvati!"_

_Parvati recognized her sister's voice. She fought against the Death Eater's grip, flailing her arms and kicking her feet in earnest. She tried to call out, but the grip on her throat closed around her tighter. She fought against the haze that was filling her brain. She was vaguely aware of a strange feeling behind her navel. Colours and wind assaulted her eyes before she felt her body slam onto a cold, hard floor and everything went black. _

Parvati shivered. Her face was wet with tears. She had been taken by Death Eaters. She was alone. The impenetrable darkness closed in on her. She could hardly breathe. Her fingers sought out the pocket in her robes. Empty. She was being held by Death Eaters, and she had no wand. She closed her eyes and sobbed into her knees, as despair engulfed her.

* * *

Harry sat with his back against the same wall where he had sat beside Ron less than an hour ago, before things had got completely out of hand.

Harry groaned as he banged his head against the wall. He had said horrible things to Ron, and Ron had said his fair share. They had both been completely irrational. Harry could see that now. But seeing it was one thing, admitting it to Ron was another. Of course, Harry wasn't sure if Ron regretted the things he had said. Harry guessed that a lot of what Ron said had been lying under the surface for some time. Harry understood how Ron felt frustrated by … well, everything. Things had not been fair for either of them, although in completely different ways. Harry always got the glory (or blame) and Ron was always overlooked. This was how it had always been, and neither of them could do anything about it.

Harry winced as he clenched and unclenched his fist. His knuckles had stopped bleeding, but were swollen considerably. He considered going to the hospital wing, but wondered how long it would be before someone else assaulted Harry with accusations of being the reason for Parvati's kidnapping. Wasn't Padma right? She had heard Harry's name. Didn't that implicate Harry as the guilty party?

Harry groaned and leaned his head back against the wall. He closed his eyes. What if Ron was right? What if the attack had absolutely nothing to do with Harry? No. There were too many coincidences to remove Harry from the situation completely. He was definitely a part of the plan that took Parvati away.

"Still skulking in sorrow?"

Harry's eyes snapped open. Ginny stood in the doorway, her arms crossed and her eyebrows raised.

"You shouldn't be here, Ginny," Harry growled, fighting not to notice how cute she looked when she was mad.

Ginny studied Harry thoughtfully. "Ron said his talk with you didn't go so well."

Harry snorted. "That's an understatement."

Ginny walked in and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of Harry. He stared determinedly at his knees, avoiding her eyes at all costs.

"Want to talk about it?" Ginny asked.

"No."

Ginny sighed. "Will you listen, then?"

Harry raised his eyes to look at Ginny. Her eyes reflected sadness and defeat.

"What's wrong, Ginny?" Harry asked, abandoning his own thoughts at once.

"I'm worried about you," Ginny said softly.

"You don't need to worry about me," Harry said stubbornly. "I'm fine."

"Harry, you can't keep pushing us away."

Harry sighed. "I know. Ron told me. I just need some time alone."

"What for? To wallow in self-pity?"

Harry shrugged. "Yeah, maybe."

Ginny chuckled. "Well, at least you'll admit it."

They sat silently. Harry stole glances at Ginny occasionally. She had pulled her knees up in front of her and rested her chin on them. She stared silently at a spot on the floor, seemingly lost in her thoughts. After some time, Harry broke the silence.

"What are you thinking about?" Harry asked.

Ginny's head shot up to look at Harry. "Nothing."

Harry smirked. "How is it that you can give me hell for not talking to you, but you don't have to talk to me?"

Ginny shrugged. "I didn't give you hell for not talking."

"Not this time."

Ginny rested her chin on her knees again. "I rest my case."

Harry studied Ginny. Something that Ron had said earlier flashed through Harry's mind.

"Gin?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you have any friends in your year?" Harry asked as delicately as he could manage.

Ginny looked at Harry questioningly. "Sure. Why?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just wondered. Are you close with anyone in your year? Who are your best friends?"

Ginny frowned and seemed to hesitate. "Well, I've got Hermione … and … and you. You're my best friends."

Harry frowned. "But that didn't really happen until this year, and a bit last year. What about before then? Who were you close with for your first three years here?"

"Harry, I don't want to talk about this," Ginny said annoyed.

Harry pressed on. "Why, Gin? Tell me."

Ginny's eyes narrowed. "No, Harry."

"C'mon, Gin," Harry pleaded.

Ginny's nostrils flared as she glared at him. "Harry, no one wants to be friends with the girl that was possessed by Tom Riddle's teenage mind. That's a little scary for eleven year olds."

Harry's heart ached. "But Ginny, that wasn't your fault. Your classmates should be able to see that."

Ginny nodded, her expression softening. "They did, eventually. Don't worry, Harry. I survived. I don't need your pity."

Harry shook his head. "I should have been a better friend. I should have noticed. I'm sorry, Gin."

Ginny smiled and shook her head dismissivley at Harry. "We're friends now, and that's all that matters."

Harry's heart ached as he forced a smile to his lips.

"So, now that I told you one of my deep dark secrets, are you going to tell me what's really going on?" Ginny asked.

Harry frowned. "What do you mean?"

Ginny bit her lip and hesitated. "Ron said that you mentioned that there was something that we didn't know about. He thought it had something to do with V-Voldemort."

Harry looked into Ginny's dark eyes. He wished he could tell her. He wanted to tell her. He just couldn't.

"I want to tell you. I'm just not ready yet," Harry said softly.

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked quietly. "I know I'm not Ron or Hermione, but I am a great listener."

Harry smiled. "I know you are, Gin. But I can't. Not yet."

"But you will tell me? When you're ready?" Ginny asked.

Harry's heart thudded painfully. He wanted to share everything with her. He hated that he was making her feel as though she weren't a good enough friend to him that he would want to include her.

Harry swallowed hard. "Ginny, I promise. I'll tell you when I'm ready."

"Thanks, Harry," Ginny said, smiling and giving Harry's hand a squeeze. Harry winced.

"What on earth have you done to yourself?" Ginny gasped, pulling Harry's hand towards her.

Harry fought to ignore the swirling in his stomach as Ginny clutched his hand. "Uh … I guess I took my frustration out on the wall."

Ginny clicked her tongue. "You need to have this looked at, Harry."

He sighed. "Yeah, I reckon I should."

"Come," Ginny said, pulling Harry by his arm to his feet. "I'll go with you."

"You don't have to," Harry argued, while secretly quite pleased.

"I'm not going to get any studying done. I might as well keep you company."

Harry smiled softly as Ginny's eyes met his. Ginny grinned crookedly at him. She added, "Maybe we could sneak into the kitchens and grab something to eat, too. I'm starving!"

Harry laughed. That sounded like a good plan indeed. He followed her out of the room, marveling at how she always managed to lighten his mood. When he was with her, anything seemed possible.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25 – Confusion **

"Honestly, Mr. Potter. Injury finds its way to you on its own. There's no need for you to self-inflict injury."

Harry nodded apologetically to Madam Pomfrey as he sat on the edge of a bed in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey held Harry's hands in front of her, casting various healing charms to mend his injured knuckles.

"I know, Madam Pomfrey. I'm sorry to bother you," Harry replied sheepishly.

Madam Pomfrey pressed her lips into a thin line. "Should I even bother asking why you did this to yourself?"

Harry glanced at Ginny. She was standing at the foot of the bed with her arms crossed and giving Harry a look that strongly reminded him of Mrs. Weasley.

"I was frustrated," Harry mumbled, shifting his gaze to stare at his shoes.

Madam Pomfrey tutted. "Such nonsense. Perhaps your girlfriend can talk some sense into you while I fetch your potion."

Harry looked up at Madam Pomfrey in confusion, and then felt his face burn in realization that Madam Pomfrey was talking about Ginny.

"She's not -- " Harry began, but Madam Pomfrey was already out of earshot.

Harry glanced at Ginny embarrassedly. To Harry's relief, Ginny seemed content to ignore Pomfrey's comment. In fact, she seemed oblivious to it. Her eyes were glazed over and she was nibbling on her lower lip distractedly.

"Ginny?"

Ginny started and raised her eyes to Harry. "Pardon?" Ginny asked.

Harry's forehead wrinkled in concern. "Are you feeling okay, Gin? You seem preoccupied or something."

Ginny plastered a smile on her face that Harry knew was not genuine. "I'm fine."

"Gin…"

Ginny walked over and sat on the hospital bed beside Harry. "I'm fine, Harry. I've just got something on my mind."

"You and me both," Harry commented.

Ginny looked at Harry and grinned. "I'll tell you my secrets if you tell me yours."

Harry smiled half-heartedly and found himself lost in Ginny's deep, brown eyes. How had he never noticed how dark they were? Or how expressive? He realized now that he could judge Ginny's mood just by her eyes; they told him everything he needed to know. For some strange reason, that comforted him. She had completely opened herself up to him, even if she was keeping secrets. He knew, in time, she would tell him what was on her mind. But for now, her focus was not on herself; he could read her frustration and worry for him as though it were an open book. Her eyes pleaded with him; begged him to open up and share the burden. With a sudden jolt of realization, Harry knew he could tell Ginny everything. She would understand. She would help him with the questions, the fear, and the magnitude of it all. He just had to say it.

"I -- " Harry began, fighting against the quaffle-sized lump in his throat. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "I -- "

"Mr. Potter! At last I've found you. What are you doing out of the dormitory?"

Harry looked up and saw a very stern-looking Professor McGonagall crossing the hospital wing. Her usually tidy bun was falling apart and her face was pale. Harry shifted uncomfortably.

"Sorry, Professor. You were looking for me?" Harry asked, hoping to avoid discussing why he was yet again in the hospital wing.

McGonagall turned to Ginny. "Miss Weasley, return to the common room at once. Mr. Potter, you will come with me to the Headmaster's office."

Ginny stood abruptly and nodded at Professor McGonagall. "Yes, Professor," Ginny replied, casting a worried glance at Harry before walking swiftly out of the room.

Professor McGonagall turned her gaze to Harry. He flinched under her piercing glare, wondering why he was being summoned to Dumbledore's office. The look on McGonagall's face did not ease Harry's mind one bit.

Madam Pomfrey bustled over with a fizzing potion and thrust it toward Harry. He took it without comment, feeling as though he were the most detestable being on earth. For a few blissful moments, Ginny had allowed him to forget about what had happened in Hogsmeade today. Reality was now crashing down on him with full force. He tipped the flask back and tried not to wince at the terrible taste. He knew he would get no sympathy here.

"Is he excused, Poppy?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes, Minerva, in just a moment," Madam Pomfrey replied, and then turned to Harry. "Mr. Potter, I don't want to see you in my hospital wing again with such an unnecessary injury. In times of war, I'm busy enough with life-threatening cases; I don't need my attention being diverted because of foolish nonsense. Am I understood?"

Harry swallowed. He had never heard Madam Pomfrey speak in such a way before. He was humiliated and ashamed of his actions. He felt like a child being scolded. And … he deserved it. He silently wondered why Madam Pomfrey would be dealing with war-related injuries; she was the hospital matron for Hogwarts. As far as Harry knew, there had not been anyone involved in the war from Hogwarts, until today. What else was going on that he didn't know of? Who was being injured that required the attention of Madam Pomfrey? Harry glanced at Madam Pomfrey and found her stern gaze awaiting his response.

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey. I understand," Harry replied.

"Very well," McGonagall said. "Follow me, Potter."

McGonagall swept from the room, causing Harry to jog to catch up with her. He chanced a glance at her. Her lips were pressed into a disapproving frown and her eyes were locked on the corridor in front of her. Harry knew McGonagall to be a formidable witch, but at that moment, she looked downright scary.

They remained silent as they rode the spiral staircase to Dumbledore's office. Professor McGonagall escorted Harry into the room, nodded curtly at Professor Dumbledore, and left without a word. The tension in the room was palpable.

Dumbledore rose from the chair behind his desk and moved to the window overlooking the Hogwarts grounds. Harry stood awkwardly, waiting. Harry studied his professor's profile. Dumbledore's face was drawn. He looked old and tired. Each time Harry saw Dumbledore, he seemed to have lost a bit more of the sparkle that usually reflected in his eyes. Harry found the change in Dumbledore rather unnerving.

"Have a seat, Harry," Dumbledore commanded quietly, maintaining his post at the window.

Harry complied and sank into the familiar chair in front of Dumbledore's desk.

"Was Madam Pomfrey able to heal your hands?" Dumbledore inquired.

"Yes, Professor," Harry replied, embarrassment flooding him once again.

Dumbledore nodded as he continued to gaze out the window. "You must stop this, Harry."

Harry swallowed. _Stop what? Breaking his hands? Visiting the hospital wing? Endangering his classmates? The war? What, exactly, was he supposed to stop?_

"Sir?" Harry queried.

Dumbledore turned to face Harry, his eyes saddened. "I imagine you blame yourself for Miss Patil's disappearance?"

Harry shifted in his chair and nodded. He braced himself for the blame he so richly deserved.

Dumbledore sighed and walked slowly to his chair. He lowered himself and steepled his fingers in front of him. "I'm guilty of the same crime."

Harry's eyes darted to Dumbledore. "Sorry?"

Dumbledore nodded. "I've been sitting up here blaming myself for allowing my students to go to Hogsmeade. They are my responsibility, after all."

Harry shook his head and straightened himself in his chair. "But you couldn't have known, sir," Harry insisted.

"I should have realized Voldemort wouldn't allow my students to enjoy their youth. I'm an old fool," Dumbledore continued.

Harry shook his head. "Professor, you couldn't have known. You just wanted your students to enjoy themselves. There's nothing wrong with that."

Dumbledore was apparently ignoring Harry. "It's all my fault. I sent Miss Patil to her fate. I am to blame. I should have prevented this. I might as well have delivered her to the Death Eaters directly and saved them all the trouble. I should resign from my post as Headmaster. No parent will trust me with their child."

Harry pushed himself to his feet angrily. "No! You couldn't have prevented this. It's_not_your fault, sir. It's the Death Eaters and Voldemort. They're the ones responsible. You shouldn't blame yourself!"

Dumbledore pinned Harry with his ice-blue gaze. "And neither should you."

Harry felt his breath catch in his throat.

He stared at Dumbledore who returned Harry's gaze unblinkingly. Harry realized Dumbledore's ploy. He had blamed himself, committing Harry's own self-deprecating act. Dumbledore had been blaming himself, taking the weight of everything that had happened on his own shoulders, just as Harry had done. Harry blinked as realization sunk in.

"It's frustrating to hear someone take the blame for something that is so completely out of their control, isn't it, Harry?" Dumbledore asked softly.

Harry lowered himself to his chair, feeling confused.

"Perhaps you can understand the frustration your friends have been feeling?" Dumbledore continued.

Harry stared numbly at Dumbledore's desk.

"You are not to blame for what happened to Miss Patil, Harry. In all honesty, I have much more reason to take the blame than you. However, neither of us could have known what was to happen. The only crime we are guilty of is trying to live our lives as normally as possible in the face of war, and I do not believe that is a crime worthy of shame."

Harry nodded, feeling wretched nonetheless.

Dumbledore sighed. "This war is just beginning, Harry. There are going to be many casualties. We nearly lost Miss Tonks and Mr. Shacklebolt is still missing. Not to mention the Muggles who have already lost their lives. Now Miss Patil has been taken. I, for one, cannot even begin to guess the purpose she will serve for Voldemort, and that is what frightens me the most. But you must understand, Harry. There will be losses. We cannot stop that."

"But, it_is_ up to me to end the war," Harry said quietly.

"I'm afraid that's not true, Harry."

Harry's head shot up to look at Dumbledore questioningly.

"It is true that your destiny ties you to Voldemort. As the prophecy states, you are the only one who may vanquish the Dark Lord. However, we would be fools to believe that vanquishing the Dark Lord will end the war. He may be the leader, but he has many followers. While Voldemort may be the most visible enemy, he is not the only one. This war may wage on long after Voldemort is gone."

Harry gaped at Dumbledore. "But -- "

"But what, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes focused sharply on Harry. "Am I upsetting you by implying that this war extends far beyond what your involvement will be?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably as Ron's words echoed in his head, 'The war is not only about you, Harry'. Ron was right. Dumbledore was right. There was a lot more to this war than Harry and Voldemort, and there would be many more injuries … and deaths. Harry had been focusing far too much on the prophecy, that he had lost sight of the big picture. Harry did indeed play a role, and an important one at that, but it wasn't the only role. This war was bigger than Harry. It was bigger than Voldemort. They were just pawns on each side, between dark and light, evil and good, losers and winners. Harry was determined to be on the winning side.

He raised his head and met Dumbledore's eyes unflinchingly. "Thank you, sir," Harry said.

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "I'm here for you, Harry, as are your friends. Don't forget that."

Harry nodded.

Dumbledore leaned forward. "Harry, I must ask. Can you think of any reason that Voldemort would want Miss Patil?"

Harry searched his mind for everything he had learned about Parvati. In his opinion, Parvati was the least likely person to be of any use to Voldemort. "No, sir."

Dumbledore nodded, his blue gaze penetrating Harry. "Did you tell her of the prophecy?"

Harry shook his head. "No. I haven't told anyone since Remus." He decided not to mention the fact that he was about to tell Ginny before McGonagall interrupted him in the hospital wing.

Dumbledore's gaze softened. "I suspected not. You are not one to share your burdens."

Harry stared at Dumbledore, wondering how to take his last comment. Was he suggesting that Harry_should_share his burdens? Or was he agreeing with Harry's decision to keep it to himself? Harry felt so confused. He longed for a time when he knew nothing of Voldemort or the blasted prophecy that haunted him day and night.

"I shall ask you to return to your dormitory, Harry. I fear we are facing a difficult week, and we will all need what rest we can get. I must also remind you that you have remarkable friends, Harry. I suggest you take a moment to make note."

Harry nodded and rose from his chair. "Yes, sir. Thank you."

Harry left Dumbledore's office with his mind much more clouded than when he entered. While his feelings of guilt for Parvati's abduction had been alleviated somewhat, thoughts of the prophecy swirled through his mind battling with his thoughts of his friends, who were unwavering in their loyalty to him. He was such a prat. He only hoped he hadn't pushed Ron too far.

* * *

The sound of chains clinking and a door unlocking roused Parvati from her troubled thoughts. She did not know how long she had been … well… wherever she was. Her body ached from the cold hard floor beneath her. Her mouth was dry and her stomach rumbled in complaint. She pushed herself to her feet hesitantly, her eyes wide and blinking against the blackness that engulfed her. Her heart pounded frantically in her ribcage. She tilted her head, trying to determine the direction of the sounds.

"She's in here."

Parvati spun herself around blindly, her ears straining for another sound.

_Click_.

Parvati tensed in anticipation. Her heart thundered loudly in her head.

A bright light pierced Parvati's eyes as a door was opened widely. She threw her arm protectively over her face to block out the offending light. Her eyes watered and she blinked rapidly, trying desperately to regain her sight to see what fate had in store for her.

"Move it!"

Parvati stumbled as she felt a sharp pain in the back of her leg. She lowered her arms and squinted around her. She could make out the shape of two people in robes. As her vision focused, she recognized the unforgettable masks of Death Eaters. She began trembling violently.

"I said move!"

Parvati doubled over, pain shooting through her side where a boot had connected with her. She stumbled forward, struggling to catch her breath and determined not to let these bullies wear her down. She was strong. She would not give in easily. She wasn't a Gryffindor for nothing.

The Death Eaters pushed her down a corridor. It was dimly lit, Parvati realized, despite her initial reaction to the blinding light. It seemed to be underground. The floor, walls, and ceiling were stone. Water trickled down the wall in spidery webs. Parvati shuddered as a flood of cold air washed over her.

"Keep going," barked the shorter of the two Death Eaters.

Parvati obeyed and began climbing a rickety staircase. She was shivering uncontrollably, whether from fear or from the chill in the air, she wasn't sure. Her teeth chattered and she wrapped her arms around herself tightly. The stairs creaked with each step and she wondered vaguely if they would hold her weight. She was nearing the top; the chill deepened and Parvati could see her breath come out of her in vaporous puffs. Then, with a blast of cold fury, the top door opened. Parvati felt her knees give out. She was vaguely aware of the Death Eaters yelling at her, but she could not move. Horrible memories flashed through her mind. All happiness shrank away. She knew only grief, sadness, and despair. She dragged her eyes to the open doorway. Two tall, cloaked figures flanked the door. _Dementors_. Parvati gasped. She felt a tug on her arms as her body was dragged up the remaining stairs. She was sure she was going to be sick. Nausea wrapped itself around her. She had never been that close to a Dementor before. She couldn't think straight. She couldn't move. She was lost. She was alone.

Eventually, the icy air ebbed away. Her senses returned, though her body continued to shiver uncontrollably. Parvati opened her eyes and found herself in some sort of sitting room. The Death Eaters had deposited her and then left. She pushed herself up and looked around. Other than a single armchair placed in front of a fireplace, the room appeared empty. Parvati walked hesitantly to the fireplace._If there's Floo powder_….

"You won't find any Floo powder here."

Parvati jumped at the sound of a high, cold voice. She spun around and felt her jaw drop in a silent scream of terror. Before her stood not a man, but a monster. The body was far too skeletal to be a man, and its face had slits for eyes that burned red. There was no nose, but two narrow openings, like those on a snake. Its skin was pallid and gaunt. This thing could not be human; no human looked like that.

"You are Parvati Patil?"

Parvati backed against the wall, sobbing silently.

"Answer me, you insolent girl!"

Parvati was pulled to her knees by an unknown force. She felt her jaw move and her voice reply, "Yes, sir."

"That's better. You should know better than to fight me, girl. You will not win."

Parvati kept her head down as her hands and knees ground into the wood floor. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed that she would survive this, that she would see her sister again, that she would wake up and this would all be a nightmare.

"Now," the high-pitched voice announced. "Let's see if you can give me what I want."

In the next instant, Parvati felt her head split in two; or at least, she was sure it had. The pain blinded her. She gasped and struggled to breathe. Thoughts and memories were pulled from her mind viciously. It was as though someone or something held her mind as an open book and was flipping through the pages, tearing out a page now and then when it was deemed necessary. The thoughts were sorted through so quickly, that Parvati could not make sense of her own memories. She vomited and fell to her side in a shivering, crumpled heap. For the second time that day, everything went black.

* * *

Harry clambered through the portrait hole his mind still befuddled from his conversation with Dumbledore. For a wizard of such wisdom, Dumbledore sure could be confusing. Harry's musings were brought to a halt as a deafening hush fell over the common room as the Fat Lady's portrait swung shut behind him. Every eye in the common room was on him; some of the stares were accusatory, some hopeful, others fearful. Harry froze, the dreaded spotlight finding him once again. Everyone stared at him in anticipation, waiting. Waiting for what, Harry hadn't a clue. He could tell they expected him to say something, but what?

"Have they found her, Harry?"

Ginny's voice. Harry sought the girl that belonged to that voice in the crowd of Gryffindors. She stepped forward, her hands clasped in front of her worriedly, her dark red hair falling in waves around her shoulders, and her eyes open wide with hope and fear. Harry locked his eyes on her. "No, Ginny. Parvati's still missing."

Several gasps and sobs escaped from the people gathered in the common room. Whispers erupted as conversations reconvened. Obviously, the chatter before Harry had entered the common room had evolved around Parvati. Harry, however, had another issue to tend to. He broke his gaze from Ginny and glanced to the seats in front of the fireplace. Sure enough, he found Ron and Hermione settled together on the couch. Hermione's eyes were red and swollen; the events of the day had obviously taken their toll. Ron was sitting with his arms crossed and a scowl darkening his face. Harry groaned inwardly; Ron was not going to make this easy.

Harry glanced back at Ginny only to discover Dean with his arm around her, whispering in her ear. Harry clenched his jaw and tried to ignore the rage of jealousy that erupted in his gut. Ginny's eyes lifted to Harry's. They stood with their eyes locked for several moments. The Great Git was still whispering in Ginny's ear. Ginny blinked and then turned and placed her hand on the Dean's chest, talking to the Great Git in earnest. Harry tore his eyes away, his breathing short. Harry cursed silently. He had no right to be jealous. Ginny was his friend; if she needed comfort after the horrible events of the day, who was he to complain about who she got that comfort from? But, _damn_, he wished it was him instead of Dean.

Harry sighed and walked over to Ron and Hermione, ignoring the eyes that followed his movement. He slumped into the chair next to the couch, a wide range of emotions warring within him. He looked at Hermione who was sitting on the edge of the couch, her hands clasped in her lap, nibbling nervously on her lower lip. Harry glanced at Ron and found him glaring at the fire, obviously not prepared to make the first move.

"I'm sorry, Ron," Harry said.

Ron shifted slightly, but continued to stare at the fire.

"I said some things that were completely unfair and stupid," Harry continued.

Ron glanced at Harry, his jaw still clenched. Hermione nudged him with her elbow. Ron frowned at Hermione.

Harry persisted. "I know the war isn't only about me. Dumbledore helped me see that. He also convinced me that Parvati's kidnapping is not my fault."

Ron scowled. "I told you that."

Harry sighed. "I know. That's what I'm saying, Ron. You were right. I was wrong to think everything about this war revolves around me. But, you were wrong too. I do not have a 'mightier than thou' attitude. I do have a fault, and that is trying to keep everyone else safe, and frankly, I still believe you'd be safer if you weren't friends with me. But you're all so stubborn that no matter how terrible I am, you won't leave me alone. Even though you're a stupid prat, I am grateful that you have stuck with me. You're my best mate, and I shouldn't have taken my anger and frustration out on you. Believe me, I appreciate everything all of you have done for me. You guys are all I have," Harry said.

Ron shifted uncomfortably. Hermione was blinking her eyes rapidly. She elbowed Ron once again.

Ron rolled his eyes at Hermione and then turned to Harry. "I'm sorry, too, mate. I was way out of line with that glory stuff. I know you hate the fame. It was a stupid thing to say."

Harry nodded and held his hand out to Ron. "Forgiven?"

Ron nodded and shook Harry's hand. "Forgiven."

Hermione hiccoughed and sniffled. Ron rolled his eyes and turned to Harry. "Can you believe her?"

Harry chuckled and ran his fingers distractedly through his hair. "You okay, Hermione?" he asked.

Hermione nodded, wiping her tears on her sleeve. "Yes. I just wish the two of you weren't such … boys!"

Ron arched an eyebrow at her. "Really? I rather thought you enjoyed the fact that I'm a boy."

Harry groaned as Hermione gasped and punched Ron in the shoulder.

"Ron! I don't want to hear about …_that_!" Harry exclaimed.

Ron laughed and dodged another slap from Hermione. "Sorry, mate. I can't help that I'm irresistible."

Harry rolled his eyes and laughed as Hermione began an all-out attack on Ron. They were his best mates, and he couldn't ask for better.

* * *

Parvati slowly became conscious of voices around her. The pounding in her head filled her with nausea, so much so that she could have sworn she could smell the sickness in the air around her._That's absurd_, she told herself. Why on earth would she smell vomit? Surely the Hogwarts house-elves wouldn't leave vomit lying around. Parvati tried to move her body, confusion wrapping her as she tried to figure out why her bed was so hard. Fear spread through her as she realized her hands were bound behind her back. She pried her eyes open and blinked repeatedly, trying to focus on her surroundings. Immediately, she discerned that she was not in Hogwarts, although the room did seem vaguely familiar. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force her mind to focus on something other than the incessant pounding. Then she heard them again. Voices.

"She was of no use, then?" a low, drawling voice asked.

"Not as planned, but I am confident she will still be useful," a cold, high-pitched voice answered. "I had hoped not to involve the flighty professor, but the girl will be a suitable sacrifice."

"What may I do, my lord?"

"Contact Erena. Tell her to bring the Seer to me."

"Of course, my lord. I am at your service as always."

Parvati listened to the swish of robes. She squeezed her eyes shut, panic becoming her only companion. She sensed someone moving close to her. She held her breath and dared not open her eyes. She felt an icy cold finger run across her cheek. She fought the urge to scream, to cry out. She shuddered, causing the skeletal finger to pull away. The high-pitched voice was the last thing she heard before the pain in her skull overwhelmed her, slamming her into darkness once again.

"A suitable sacrifice, indeed."

A/N: Please Review!


	26. Chapter 26 Below the Belt

A/N: Hello? Anyone there? I'm back! Sorry, sorry, a million times sorry. I have a suitcase full of excuses, but the important thing is that Chapter 26 is FINALLY here. Special thanks to the Cunha family, Steph, Nat, butterbeer and Rads for giving me the encouragement and support I needed to keep going. I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 26 – Below the Belt**

Harry spent the greater part of Sunday in the Gryffindor common room poring over his homework. After a short trip to the Great Hall for breakfast, he was blatantly aware that although his friends and Dumbledore did not blame him for Parvati's disappearance, the remainder of the Hogwarts population was skeptical. The hissed whispers and snide comments were more than Harry could handle with his already frayed nerves. Ron and Hermione took pity on him and snuck him food for both lunch and supper. Hermione, always the voice of reason, reminded Harry that he couldn't hide forever, but for the time being, Harry enjoyed his reprieve. Harry tried to ignore the fact that his fellow Gryffindors were also keeping a wide berth around him. He'd survived worse and took solace in the fact that Ron and Hermione were by his side, no matter what.

Ginny, on the other hand…

Harry sighed and raised his eyes from the textbook lying in front of him. He scanned the common room; she was still nowhere to be seen. He hadn't seen Ginny since the previous night when she was talking to Dean. She had disappeared shortly thereafter. He tried to ignore the hollow feeling that had invaded his insides. It was unlike Ginny to not ask about his conversation with Dumbledore. Surely, she had been concerned when she left the hospital wing. Had something happened since? However, with sinking realization, Harry had to admit that he wasn't necessarily on her priority list. She had her schoolwork and … Dean. Harry's stomach twisted unpleasantly as a scowl spread across his features. He returned to his textbook and worked well into the night, shutting out the world around him.

* * *

After a fitful sleep and a squelching run in the freezing rain, Harry entered the Great Hall Monday morning in dark spirits. The frenzied whispers of students as he walked by did nothing to improve his mood. He slid silently into his seat and nodded grudgingly in greeting at Ron and Hermione seated across from him. He grabbed a slice of toast and tore into it, attacking it as though it were the source of his irritation. Ron and Hermione were wise enough to stay quiet. Harry grasped his glass of pumpkin juice and took several deep gulps before setting it back down. He was about to take another bite of his toast when another blow was thrown his way.

Ginny had finally made an appearance; unfortunately, she was walking hand in hand with the Great Git. Harry watched as they made their way along the Gryffindor table. Dean stopped halfway and was about to take a seat when he noticed Ginny continue along. He tugged on her hand, forcing her to spin around and face him. Harry's insides rolled unpleasantly as a shot of anger pulsed through his veins. From Ginny's stance, Harry knew she was _not_ happy. Harry held his breath in anticipation, waiting for Ginny to release her temper on Dean; the stupid git deserved everything she could give. Harry watched in horror as Ginny's shoulders slumped and she allowed herself to be pulled into the seat beside Dean.

Harry was outraged.

" _Harry_ ."

Harry turned his glare to Hermione, causing her to flinch.

"Harry," she repeated softly, "you need to calm down."

Harry furrowed his eyebrows together in confusion. She nodded towards his hands. Harry glanced down. His right fist had squished his toast to crumbs while his left hand grasped his glass of pumpkin juice, which was now boiling furiously. Harry set the glass down in shock.

"Blimey, Harry. What's got you in such a state?" Ron asked, looking warily at the bubbling pumpkin juice.

Harry scowled and dropped the toast crumbs on his plate. "I didn't sleep well," he responded.

Hermione sighed. "Maybe you should take a break from all of your extra work, Harry."

Harry raked his fingers through his hair. "No. The attack in Hogsmeade proves how much we all need to be prepared. I won't quit now."

Hermione pursed her lips but wisely refrained from saying anything else, for which Harry was glad. He didn't know if he could restrain from hexing her in his current state.

"What's going on with Ginny?" Ron asked, a hint of irritation in his voice.

Harry flinched at Ron's question. "Sorry?" Harry asked, wishing his voice hadn't come out as a squeak.

Ron frowned and waved his hand in Ginny's direction. "Ginny. I don't think I saw her all day yesterday, and this morning she's not even sitting with us. I think she's taken the same broody potion as you, Harry."

Harry scowled.

Hermione sighed. "Can't she spend time with her boyfriend without you two raising your hackles over it?"

Ron snorted. "Stupid prat doesn't even take her to Hogsmeade and now she's spending all her time with him? She deserves better than that worthless git."

Harry cheered silently.

"You can't choose your sister's boyfriends, Ron," Hermione chastised.

"But she could do so much better," Ron complained. "Harry's single again; why doesn't she go out with him?"

Harry stared down at his plate fighting the urge to slam his fist on the table and agree wholeheartedly with Ron. Harry knew Ron was trying to prove a point and meant nothing by his comment, but Harry really wished he could ask that same question.

"Well, that's obvious," Hermione stated. Harry raised his eyes to look at her. She turned her gaze from Ron and looked at Harry. He thought he saw a hint of a smile in her eyes. "First of all, she already has a boyfriend, Ron, whether you like it or not. Second, Harry hasn't asked her to go out with him."

Harry's face burned. The look in Hermione's eyes was making him truly uncomfortable.

"Hmm," Ron responded. "I reckon Ginny's not Harry's type either, so it's not likely to happen anyway."

Harry frowned at Ron. "What do you mean she's not my type?"

Harry could have kicked himself. Not only did his voice come out in a high-pitched whine, but he couldn't be anymore transparent. Why didn't he just stand up on the table, dance a jig, and announce to the entire school that he fancied Ginny Weasley?

Ron shrugged. "You go for the exotic types. First Cho, then Parvati. Ginny's nothing like them."

_No, she isn't_.

"Besides," Ron continued, "Harry could have any girl in the school. I doubt he'd choose my baby sister."

Harry shifted uncomfortably; Ginny was the _only _girl in the school he'd choose. Harry snorted thinking how much easier it would be if he could just point and choose.

"Who would you choose, Harry?"

Harry snapped his head toward Hermione. "What?"

"Who would you choose? If you could have any girl, who would it be?" Hermione asked, a smirk playing on her lips.

Harry shrugged, trying to avoid Hermione's eyes. "Don't know."

Hermione raised an eyebrow disbelievingly.

Harry frowned at her and returned to staring at his plate. Hermione was really grating his nerves this morning.

The sound of hundreds of wings filled the Great Hall. Students stared up into the stormy ceiling as their owls made deliveries. A brown barn owl landed in front of Hermione delivering the _Daily Prophet_. Hermione slipped her coins into the owl's leather pouch and watched the bird take off in flight. She turned to the newspaper and scanned the front page, gasping immediately.

"What?" Ron and Harry asked, leaning towards her to see the paper.

Hermione's hand covered her mouth as she held the newspaper for Harry to read the headline:

**_Attack in Hogsmeade: Fodder for Potter_**

Blinking back at Harry was a picture of himself, taken during the Triwizard Tournament in fourth year.

Harry felt nauseous. A slow buzz began to gain momentum in the Great Hall. Harry scanned the room, watching as students huddled together to read their copies of the _Daily Prophet_. His stomach clenched and his throat tightened.

"Read it, Hermione," Harry choked out.

Hermione glanced worriedly around her, and then recited:

_Late Saturday afternoon the small wizarding village of Hogsmeade was attacked by a group of Death Eaters. The attack coincided with a visit by Hogwarts students into the small village. An unconfirmed report states that several students were taken during the attack, and many more injured. Several businesses were vandalized, and worst of all, fear has been struck into the very hearts of our world. A glaring absence was noted on this dark Saturday; Harry Potter was not among the students visiting Hogsmeade. A coincidence? Perhaps not._

_Harry Potter, known by many as The-Boy-Who-Lived, has a long history with Death Eaters and You-Know-Who. Once known to tell fantastical stories of battle and triumph against Death Eaters and even You-Know-Who, Harry Potter has since faded from our front pages. Rumours indicated that the Potter boy was involved with the affair concerning He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in June of this year in the Ministry of Magic. However, the Ministry continues to be less than forthcoming with their information regarding this incident. One must question, what are they hiding?_

_Could it be that the Potter boy has allied himself with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? Will the boy we believed to be our saviour bring forth our damnation? Did he orchestrate the Ministry infiltration and the attack in Hogsmeade? It seems the Potter boy's lines may have crossed too many times with the Dark Lord's for us to continue to overlook it. Perhaps it is time for the Ministry to remove their rose-coloured glasses and see the Potter boy for who he really is: the Dark Lord's right-hand man._

Harry stared at Hermione in disbelief. "Tell me that you just made that up," Harry said, his voice strained.

Hermione shook her head, her eyes wide with horror.

"Who wrote that?" Harry spat, grabbing the paper from Hermione's hand.

"There's no byline," Hermione stated numbly.

Ron grabbed the paper from Harry's hands. "Barking mad. Who's going to believe this? It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

Harry swallowed hard as he stared blankly at the table. He felt like laughing. He felt like laughing hysterically. In fact, he probably would have laughed if he didn't feel like crying.

"This is slander," Hermione stated. "They can't get away with this, Harry. There are laws against writing such ludicrous, unfounded, unbelievable... _lies_."

"It's bollocks," Ron stated, shaking his head angrily.

Hermione nodded. "They'll have to print a retraction. Such defamatory comments have to be taken seriously. They've disparaged you with absolutely no grounds for their statements. We'll see to it that they pay for this, Harry."

Harry rubbed his forehead. "They've got away with it before. Not this bad, but the damage is already done. Everyone will have read it. Everyone will think that I'm … I'm …" Harry squeezed his eyes against the nausea rising in his stomach.

The buzzing in the Great Hall had risen to an all-time high. A headache reminiscent of his days learning Occlumency set in on Harry. He looked across the table at Ron and Hermione, hopeful that they could say something, _anything_, to rebuke his statement. They stared at him helplessly.

* * *

Parvati sat on the cold dirt floor, darkness surrounding her. Time was an elusive thing that had escaped her consciousness long ago. She had no idea if it had been hours or days since she had spent the afternoon in Hogsmeade. She had given up trying to make sense of it all long ago.

She balanced on the edge of sanity; a tightrope on which she carefully tread. Her mind tortured her with thoughts of freedom, while the realistic part of her came to terms with the fact that she was not likely to ever experience freedom again. She had fallen into fits of hysterical laughter, as well as moments of frantic sobbing. For the most part, however, she was silent.

She had come to realize where she was; well, not _specifically_ where, but who it was that was holding her captive. This was the source of both her laughter and her tears; the absurdity and the terror of it. _What on earth did He want with her?_

Slitted red eyes mocked her in the darkness. The mental attacks left her feeling violated, bereft, and ill. She knew He had perused her memories of her time with Harry. If she hadn't been so terrified, she would have been deeply embarrassed and highly affronted. They were personal memories, many that she had not even shared with Lavender. Who did He think He was, forcing her most private memories from her mind?

Oh. Right. He was Voldemort.

Parvati always shivered whenever she allowed the name to cross her mind.

Parvati spent much of her time wrestling with her thoughts. Fragments of memories swam through her mind, parts of a conversation she had overheard: a woman by the name of Erena, a Seer, and a sacrifice. Parvati shuddered. She was the sacrifice. But what purpose would her sacrifice serve?

As she sifted through all of her memories of Harry, there was not anything she could think of that You-Know-Who would find of any interest. She was a silly schoolgirl with a crush on the famous boy wizard. Much to her suffering ego, Harry had never divulged any of his secrets to her. And even harder on her broken heart, she knew that Harry had not cared for her to the point that her kidnapping would cause Harry bone-crushing grief. No. She was not the girl Harry loved. That she knew. Sure, Harry would worry about her, but no more than he would for Seamus or Lavender or any of the other students in their year, save for Ron and Hermione, of course. But she really was not the ideal target to urge Harry into doing something rash. So why was she taken?

The grumbling of her stomach reminded Parvati that her silent visitor would be coming soon. The stranger had become her only source of hope. They had never shared words. He would slip in quietly and quickly, leaving a small bowl of food and a pitcher of water. He came twice a day and Parvati wondered whether he had been ordered to be the one to keep her alive, or if he was doing it on the sly. Parvati did not want to think of what a single Death Eater could do to her in her weakened and unarmed state. But this Death Eater seemed different; not that she had met many Death Eaters. Fear did not grip her body when he entered her dark room, even though he appeared alarmingly tall against the bright light filtering into the room from behind him. He did not wear a mask during his visits, which also intrigued her, though he did wear the long cloak of You-Know-Who's servants. He always made sure to keep his face in the shadows, the light reflecting off his smooth, bald head, and glinting off his single hoop earring.

Parvati positioned herself near the door. Perhaps today would be the day that he spoke to her.

* * *

It had seemed unlikely at breakfast that morning that the day could get any worse for Harry, but as Harry was the king of unlikely happenings, the day became progressively worse.

Harry had expected the whispers from fellow students. He had expected the glares from those who believed the ridiculous drivel spouted in the _Daily Prophet_. He had expected the sneers and smirks from Slytherins led by Malfoy, who alone seemed to appreciate how farfetched the claim was that Harry was in league with Voldemort.

He had not expected his own housemates to turn on him. He had not expected Ginny to leave the Great Hall without a backwards glance. He had not expected his first lesson to end with Madam Sprout shrinking back in fear as Harry tried to hand her his completed assignment on the healing properties of Fuchsia-fanged ferns. Harry dropped the parchment on her desk and left the greenhouse feeling lower than he ever had in his life.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was no better. While Professor Pandoran hadn't shrank away from him in fear or disgust, she did use him as a guinea pig to demonstrate a new disarming spell. After Harry had been hit with the spell several times, Pandoran had instructed Harry to use a shield to block her next attempt. Harry didn't know if he was simply tired of being knocked off his feet, or whether his frustration of his current situation had been too much, but his shield had been a tad excessive. Pandoran had warned him in their private training sessions that it would be wise for Harry to keep his defensive progress unknown to others. He had become incredibly powerful, but had agreed to keep his growing power under wraps, even from his friends. However, with one simple shield charm, Harry demonstrated to his classmates that with a lazy flick of his wrist and a silent incantation, he could create a shield charm so powerful that his assailant, or in this case, his Professor, was sent flying clear across the room as her own spell reflected on her with impressive force. Professor Pandoran fractured her wrist as a result of her shield-induced flight. The students filed out of the classroom, staring at Harry in horror. Pandoran had suggested to Harry, as he walked her to the hospital wing, that they cancel his training session that night.

During Transfiguration, Harry stared morosely at the empty chair beside him, pushing aside his thoughts of poor Professor Pandoran and allowing them to drift to Parvati. _Where was she? Was she all right? Was she alive?_ The empty chair mocked Harry, heightening his loneliness, frustration, and anger. He did not take in a word of Professor McGonagall's lecture. He doodled on the parchment spread before him, not noticing when the students around him began to leave their desks.

"Harry?"

Harry rose his eyes from the intricate lines he had been tracing on his page to meet Hermione's concerned stare.

"Huh?" Harry replied.

"Harry, our lesson is over," Hermione said quietly.

Harry stared at her. She was nibbling her lip worriedly. She seemed beside herself, not knowing how to fix this particular problem. He glanced to the towering figure beside her and met his best mate's worried gaze.

Harry sighed and rose from his stool, clearing the items on his desk into his bag.

"I'm not up for lunch," Harry mumbled dejectedly. "I think I'll just go to the dormitory."

Hermione and Ron exchanged helpless glances.

"You need to eat, Harry," Hermione urged. "You hardly had a bite at breakfast."

Harry shook his head. "I'm not hungry."

Ron put his hand on Harry's shoulder and gripped it, hard. "You're not going to do this, Harry. I won't let you."

Harry stared at Ron in surprise. "Sorry?"

Ron steered Harry down the corridor in the direction of the Great Hall. "You're not going to go to the dormitory and brood. You're not going to make yourself sick over something out of your control. You're not going to push us away."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I wasn't going to. I'm just not hungry."

"Then don't eat," Ron replied. "But you're still coming with us."

Harry was torn between being irritated and being touched by Ron's concern. He turned and looked his mate in the eye. Determined blue eyes blazed into Harry. He sighed. "Thanks, mate."

Ron grinned and slapped Harry on the back. "Anytime."

Hermione threw her arms around both boys before either knew what was happening. She pulled away with a teary grin. "Let's go."

Ron and Harry exchanged amused grins and followed Hermione to the Great Hall. Harry knew that no matter what happened, he would always have Ron and Hermione.

* * *

Parvati's ears perked up as the sound of feet shuffling towards her grew louder. Her stomach grumbled in anticipation. It had seemed as though it had been longer than usual since her silent visitor had brought her rations. Her throat was incredibly dry and her lips were chapped and cracked. If she had to, she would even forego the food just to get some water. She was feeling incredibly weak and was slipping out of consciousness more often then she'd like to admit. She raised her trembling fingers and absently smoothed her fraying plait.

The door burst open, breaking the lock to pieces. Parvati gasped in shock. She squinted against the bright light and felt her stomach sink as the realization that the hulking man entering her prison was not her silent visitor. No. This man was much shorter and nearly twice as thick. And he was not alone.

Parvati pressed herself against the wall, fear gripping her insides. The second man stood in the doorway, blocking much of the light from entering the small cell. He was tall, but not as tall as her visitor. In the dim light, Parvati could see that both men were wearing Death Eater masks, making themselves anonymous to her, and possibly, to each other.

"Get over here!" the first Death Eater snarled, grabbing Parvati by her elbow and jerking her towards him.

Parvati held her breath as he leaned toward her, peering into her face.

"So, pretty," he slurred, and Parvati nearly choked on the smell of Firewhiskey oozing from him.

He raised his other hand to her cheek, tracing his finger along her cheek. Parvati jerked her head away, fighting the urge to vomit. Her movement was rewarded with a backhand across her face. Cheek burning, Parvati raised her chin in defiance and glared into the mask before her.

"We're not to harm her," the second Death Eater said, though there was little conviction to his voice.

The squat Death Eater snorted and shoved Parvati towards the door. "You're not worth my master's protection, but I will abide by his wishes."

Parvati stumbled through the door as the second Death Eater moved into the dim corridor. She was being protected? This revelation did not give Parvati comfort; quite the contrary. If she was being protected, that meant that He still wanted something from her. Fear tightened its icy grip on her.

She was led along the same path as her last venture out of her prison, down the damp, dimly lit corridor and up the rickety staircase leading to a doorway. This time, however, the doorway was not flanked with Dementors. Parvati felt an icy chill, nonetheless. Beyond that door was the sitting room where He had attacked her. Was she being brought back for another assault? What more could he take from her that he hadn't taken already? Parvati shuddered at the thought.

She followed the taller of her two escorts up the staircase, while the other followed her, shoving her occasionally in amusement. She silently prayed that if she were going to be killed, it would be quick and painless. She knew she was not scared of death, but she was scared of Him.

She was led into the sitting room where she had first seen the slits that held red eyes. This time, however, a small group of Death Eaters stood in a small circle, and He was nowhere to be seen. Apparently, the orders had already been given. Their conversation came to an abrupt stop as she entered the room and all masked faces turned to face her. Parvati stood before them, her heart pounding in her chest. _Why were there so many of them? What were they going to do to her?_ Parvati took a deep breath and steeled herself. She would not let them make a fool of her; she may be defenseless, but she still had her dignity.

"It's time."

Parvati watched as all but two of the Death Eaters encircling her Disapparated. The two masked figures studied her silently. Parvati stood still, willing her fear not to show. She could tell by their builds that neither of her companions were her silent visitor. She wondered if he had been in the group that Disapparated. If he was part of the plan, maybe there was still hope. Parvati realized she had no reason to put her trust in her visitor; for all she knew, he was simply following orders. But he did not try to intimidate her like the others; he did not take advantage of the situation to demonstrate how much power he had over her. Instead, his presence was always calming, and for Parvati, that was all she had.

Several minutes passed with neither Parvati nor the Death Eaters moving. Even though she could not see their faces, Parvati could feel their cold, hard stares. She held her chin up proudly with her hands clasped behind her back. Her stomach continued to rumble loudly, almost seeming to echo in the silence of the room. Her mouth was still incredibly dry, and she was almost desperate enough to ask for water. She refrained, however, knowing that if she were to utter a word she'd be hexed before the sound fell from her lips. So she stood silently, fighting the weakness and dizziness that was taking over her body.

The Death Eaters seemed to grow restless as the minutes passed. The taller of the two took to pacing in front of the fireplace. The shorter fidgeted by straightening his robes and polishing his wand with his sleeve. Parvati remained unmoving, not wanting to draw any attention to herself.

A flash of green sparks in the fireplace seemed to be what they were waiting for. The taller Death Eater pulled a rusted teakettle from the depths of his robe and held it toward Parvati.

"Take hold," he ordered.

Parvati knew that one way or another she would be traveling by that Portkey and any attempt to resist was futile. She stepped forward, her hand trembling as she wrapped her fingers around the spout. The shorter Death Eater placed a hand on the belly of the kettle.

"Three, two, one."

Vibrant colours and a gust of wind assaulted Parvati's senses. She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the increasing nausea and dizziness. She tried to push away the terror building inside her; the unknown was too much. She didn't know where they were going, nor what purpose she would serve. His words echoed in her mind: '_suitable_ _sacrifice'._ _Was she being led to her death? Would they torture her? Would they … _Parvati stopped herself, hoping that her mind was imagining things much worse than what reality would bring.

Parvati and her fellow travelers landed with a resounding crash in a dark, musty room. The Death Eaters righted themselves quickly and lit their wands, revealing what seemed to be a storage room. Boxes of different shapes and sizes lined the walls from floor to ceiling. They were alone in this cramped room, but muffled voices could be heard filtering through the doorway at the far end of the room. Parvati strained to make out what they were saying, but it was of no use. She remained slumped against the wall of boxes, under the careful watch of her masked companions.

The muffled voices stopped. Parvati swore she heard a distant tinkling of bells, like those often heard above shop doors in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley. Her suspicions were quickly confirmed as the storage room door was pushed open. Parvati's heart jumped into her throat as a slight witch with frizzy blonde hair stepped into the back room. Hope swelled inside Parvati as she recognized the shop owner of Navigating Nostradamus. They had shared such a lovely conversation, surely once she recognized Parvati, the kind witch would do anything she could to help Parvati. She pushed herself to her feet, a hopeful smile twitching the corners of her mouth.

"Erena," greeted the taller Death Eater.

Parvati's eyes darted to him.

The blonde witch nodded in greeting. "They're waiting for you downstairs."

_No! No! No!_ Parvati shook her head as tears welled in her eyes. The hope inside her shriveled to despair. _Erena_. Parvati remembered Him saying that name. Parvati felt sick as she realized this witch had been part of the plan all along. She had befriended Parvati, setting the trap for her kidnapping. But why?

Parvati stared hopelessly at Erena who was avoiding looking in Parvati's direction. The Death Eaters grabbed Parvati's arms and steered her to a trapdoor she had not noticed before. As the shorter Death Eater stooped to raise the door, Parvati glanced one last time at Erena, a final flare of hope igniting within her. She nearly gasped as she stared into Erena's eyes; they were dark and empty. Erena seemed to be caught in a void, unknowing and unfeeling. The blank look in the older woman's eyes sent a chill through Parvati. They held each other's gaze for several seconds before Erena turned on her heel and disappeared through the storage room door. Parvati swallowed hard. She had no one. She was alone. Any possibility of a future lay in the room below. Fear swelled within her as she began the descent to her fate.

A/N2: I really struggled with this last section. Please let me know what you think by clicking on that lovely review button and leaving a word or two.


	27. Chapter 27 Resolution

**A/N: To my Mugglenet and FanFiction fans, if you are in fact reading this it means you've stuck with me despite my five month absence. You rock. A special thanks to Lurid, Femme, biggerstaff15, pottersmuse, and awful for reminding me why I do this. Enjoy.**

**Chapter 27 – Resolution**

Monday afternoon fared better for Harry. Ron and Hermione had lightened his mood considerably during lunch. With them by his side, he was better able to ignore the actions of everyone else around him. During Charms, he was able to focus on Professor Flitwick's demonstration and master the new, complex charm quicker than even Hermione. He thought he heard a classmate whisper something about him using Dark Magic, but he decidedly ignored it. Even Double Potions had been rather uneventful. Snape had studied Harry with mild curiosity rather than hate. By the end of the lesson, Harry had procured a decent potion, earning an overdue sneer from the professor. All in all, afternoon classes were a fair improvement over the morning.

After their final lesson for the day, Harry followed Ron and Hermione into the common room. He had listened half-heartedly to Ron's incessant chatter about their upcoming Quidditch practice. While Harry usually enjoyed listening to the strategies that Ron came up with, Harry's heart just wasn't in it. All he wanted was to mount his Firebolt and chase the tension from his body as the wind whipped around him. He could care less about formations and practice drills, though he would never admit that to Ron.

As the Fat Lady's portrait swung shut behind Harry, the sound of angry voices met his ears. He peered around Ron and saw Ginny and Dean squared off. Harry tried to squash the feeling of glee that had erupted inside him. He really shouldn't be happy that his friend was obviously upset. Really, he shouldn't. But the fact that she was angry at the Great Git … well, Harry couldn't help but feel pleased about that. He stepped beside Ron who, along with Hermione, had frozen in their tracks unnoticed by the bickering duo.

"Dean, I do not need to explain myself!"

"I've told you how I feel about this, Ginny!"

Ginny planted her hands on her hips. "And I've told you that you're being completely unreasonable!"

"I'm your boyfriend! I think I've got a right!"

"Maybe you should have reminded yourself of that status before you went off to Hogsmeade without me!"

Dean rolled his eyes. "Don't bring that up again."

Ginny's eyes flashed. "Then stop being such a hypocrite!"

"It's hardly the same thing."

"It's exactly the same thing! You just refuse to see it that way. I've tried to meet you half way, Dean. I think I've done more than enough."

Dean shook his head. "You're blind to the truth!"

Ginny's eyes narrowed and her voice was low and threatening. "I am no such thing. If that's what you think, then you don't know me at all."

"How am I supposed to know you when you spend most of your time with _them_?"

"Who? My friends? You can't expect me to chuck them out of my life!"

Dean groaned. "That's not what I'm asking."

"Really? Because it seems as though you're giving me an ultimatum. You're making me choose between you and them!"

"No, I'm not!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "For Merlin's sake, Dean. You talk about me being blind, meanwhile you've got your head so far up your arse you can't see what's right in front of you. Get over yourself."

Dean clenched his fists at his side. "This is pointless. I refuse to talk to you when you're like this."

Ginny held her hands out to her side. "Like what? Honest?"

Dean shook his head and turned around, noticing Harry, Ron, and Hermione for the first time. He glared at them. "Enjoying the show?"

Ron, Harry, and Hermione stared at Dean, speechless. Dean glanced at Ginny who was red-faced, though whether it was from embarrassment or anger was uncertain. Dean shoved his way between Ron and Harry and climbed through the portrait hole.

"Well?"

Ron, Harry, and Hermione turned to look at Ginny questioningly. Her hands were on her hips and her eyes were narrowed in anger.

"Well, what?" Ron replied.

Ginny crossed her arms. "Did you enjoy the show?"

Hermione shook her head and stepped hesitantly toward Ginny. "We're sorry, Ginny."

Ginny glared daggers. "The courteous thing would have been to let us know you were here. That was a private conversation."

"Of course, you're right, Ginny," Hermione replied, placatingly. "We should have said something."

Ron stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "Has he done something to hurt you, Ginny?"

Ginny's face flushed with fury. "What is it with you boys who think I can't think or take care of myself? I don't need you telling me what to do, when to do it, or how I should behave! I wish you would all just sod off!"

Ginny glared at Ron, who stood with his mouth agape. She turned her gaze to Harry. His heart fluttered. This was the closest he had been to her in days, and he was amazed at how pretty she looked, even in her anger. Her eyes flickered, a flash of hurt shadowing her features. Ginny turned and stomped up the staircase to the girls' dormitory. Harry felt bereft.

"What did I say?" Ron asked in confusion.

"Oh, Ron," Hermione sighed. "She's embarrassed that we witnessed her fight with Dean. Your big brother instincts are not what she needs right now."

"If that git has done anything – " Ron began.

"You'll let Ginny handle it," Hermione interrupted.

Ron frowned. Hermione placed her hand on his arm. "She'll come to you if she needs you, Ron."

Ron glanced at Harry who had remained motionless. Harry had been missing Ginny so much over the last few days and their brief encounter made the ache worse. He felt bad that Ginny was so upset, and guilt spread through him for having been pleased that she and Dean were fighting. As much as he wanted Ginny for himself, she wasn't his. If he had been a true friend, he would have been more worried about her feelings than his own. She was hurting, and he was selfish. He was giving Dean a run for the title of Great Git.

Harry mumbled incoherently to Ron and Hermione before trudging up the staircase to his dormitory. He tossed his bag on the floor beside his trunk. His attention was drawn to the hangings around his bed. They were closed. He glanced at the other beds in the room, wondering if the house-elves had decided on a new routine; all of the other hangings were tied open. Harry's brows furrowed together in confusion. He raised his hand hesitantly to the heavy hangings. Thinking he'd rather be safe than sorry, he drew his wand with his right hand as his left hand pulled the heavy fabric aside. He quickly scanned his bed and gasped in surprise. Propped up against his pillow was a stuffed green dragon.

Harry crawled onto his bed and pulled the hangings closed. This was no ordinary stuffed dragon; this particular dragon belonged to one Ginny Weasley. Harry recognized it immediately as the dragon she had won on his birthday at the amusement park. Harry picked it up and smiled. A pleasant warmth spread through him as he remembered her excitement and the way she had laughed at the silly Muggle games. He noticed a small roll of parchment tucked into its collar. He grabbed the note and unrolled it, finding Ginny's slanted handwriting inside.

_Norbert has been worried about you. I've agreed to let him stay with you so he can keep an eye on you. He's promised to behave. Let it be known that he will report to me should he feel you are: a) brooding, b) feeling unwarranted guilt, or c) keeping company with undeserving girls. He understands your need for being macho, so he will not be insulted should you decide to hide him in your trunk. But, please, don't forget about him. He really does care, even if he hasn't been around._

_Yours,_

_Ginny_

Harry could not stop the grin that spread across his face. He reread the letter quickly, chuckling softly. He stared at the last two words: 'Yours, Ginny.' Harry sighed as he fell back against his pillows. If only she was his. But, no, she belonged to the stupid prat that she had just been bellowing at. What had they been arguing about? They had both certainly been angry. It really wasn't his business, but he couldn't help but worry about Ginny. He hoped that Dean _hadn't_ done anything to hurt her. Ron usually jumped to conclusions when it came to protecting his baby sister, and Harry hoped that was the case this time.

Harry twisted and tucked Norbert under his pillows. The last thing he needed was Ron yanking open his bed hangings to find Harry clutching a stuffed dragon belonging to his best mate's sister. Harry wasn't sure Ron would recognize the dragon, but it wasn't worth the risk. Ginny's gesture was innocent in nature, but Harry wasn't sure how Ron would react. _What would Dean do if he knew?_ Harry mused. He shook his head. He didn't think Dean would take kindly to his girlfriend leaving one of her prized possessions for Harry, innocent or not.

Harry yanked his hangings open and jumped from his bed. He began to get ready for practice. His mind raced as he moved about the dormitory. While he still hadn't spoken to Ginny, she had made a point to show him that she was still there for him. She was obviously having problems of her own. Harry remembered Parvati telling him that Ginny wasn't happy with Dean. Is that what had preoccupied her lately? Was she trying to patch things up with the Great Git? Whatever the reason for her absence, the presence of Norbert had lifted Harry's spirits considerably. He grabbed his Firebolt, and bounded from the room. A few extra laps before practice was just the thing he needed to clear his head.

* * *

Parvati's steps were slow and hesitant. The sound of her heart pounded noisily in her head. The staircase was dimly lit. She could only see a few steps in front of her. No sound reached her from below. She knew there were people waiting down there for her; Erena had said so. But who? More Death Eaters? If it was more Death Eaters, why did they need to bring her here? Couldn't they do whatever they were planning to do to her in the prison in which she had been kept? Why did they have to come back here, to the store where the kidnapping had been orchestrated? What purpose did this place serve? Parvati shook her head, realizing it was very unlikely that she would ever find the answers to her questions.

Her feet found the bottom step far too soon. In front of her and to her left were blank, concrete walls. A dark hallway ran towards a room on her right. Light spilled through the doorway, lighting the far end of the hallway. With no other option, Parvati tried to steady her breathing and prayed silently. This was it. This was where she was going to live or die. She would not give up. She would fight until the end. She was not a coward.

She straightened her back and raised her jaw in determination. She walked towards the room, fighting the demons in her mind that weakened her resolve. The hallway was not long. She reached her destination quickly and stepped boldly into the brightly lit room.

Parvati's eyes scanned the room. It was empty except for the small group of Death Eaters gathered in front of a large fireplace. They turned as one to look at her in silence. One masked figure strode to her swiftly, grabbed her by the arm, and yanked her to the far side of the room. It was then that she noticed the chains on the walls. She fought against the panic that filled her belly. What kind of shop had a basement that looked like it had once held prisoners, or worse, tortured victims? She couldn't help but stare at the manacles. Horrible, terrifying thoughts spun threw her mind. What did wizards need shackles for? Weren't hexes and jinxes enough? Especially hexes of the Dark Magic kind, of which she fully expected these Death Eaters to be well trained. She was helpless. Why would they need to restrain her?

Parvati was pulled by her thoughts when, rather than being shackled, she was shoved to the floor. She fell to her knees, wincing as her kneecaps made contact with the cold, concrete floor. She felt the palms of her hands burn from catching her fall. She looked up at the faceless figure hovering over her.

"Why am I here?" she asked, foolishly.

She was answered with a backhand across the face. She yelped, her cheek feeling as though it had been broken open. The force of the hit threw her body against the wall. She sat slumped against it, touching her cheek tenderly. She winced and scowled at the menace before her. She learned from her mistake, however, and kept her mouth shut.

More waiting. Parvati was really starting to think that You-Know-Who was the most unorganized wizard of all time. She was tired of being taken from place to place, only to sit and wait. Why don't they get on with it already? She was sick of waiting; waiting for a signal, waiting for word, waiting for Him, waiting for death.

She could sense the same restlessness in the Death Eaters. They, however, seemed to be waiting excitedly. They were anticipating the next move. They were eager. They were ready.

The orange flames in the fireplace suddenly became bright green. Parvati leaned to the side, curious to see around the bodies blocking her view. Suddenly, a spindly figure appeared, spinning tightly before thin arms flew out to steady its arrival. The figure was draped in a thick shawl and several bracelets dangled from both wrists. Thin, frail fingers clutched tightly, protectively, to the shawl as the eyes of Sybill Trelawney widened in shock. Parvati gasped. Hope surged through Parvati. Had they sent for Professor Trelawney to take her back to Hogwarts? Were they letting her go?

"Professor!"

Professor Trelawney's eyes darted to the crumpled figure on the floor. Her eyes became impossibly wider. "Miss Patil? What are you … we've been so worried…why are there … where's Erena?" Trelawney's whispy voice trembled as she tried to make sense of the situation before her.

Parvati felt her throat constrict. Her eyes burned. This wasn't right. If Trelawney had been sent to get her, surely Parvati's presence wouldn't have been so unexpected. Instead, she was looking for Erena, the traitor. Panic gripped Parvati's insides once again.

"Professor! It's a trap! Get out of here! Erena's one of them!" Parvati yelled desperately.

Professor Trelawney eyed the Death Eaters that seemed to be closing in on her. She glanced hesitantly to the doorway.

"Erena?" she called.

Silence.

"Erena!" she called desperately.

"She won't come," a tall, thick Death Eater replied menacingly.

Professor Trelawney's large eyes turned to the Death Eater that had spoken. Her fingers clutched her shawl protectively. "Erena asked me to come," she stated, faintly. "She said she needed advice…"

"I'm sure she did," the Death Eater said, an air of arrogance in his voice.

Parvati watched helplessly. She wondered why You-Know-Who would have drawn Professor Trelawney into this mess. It was strange, really, to see her professor outside of her tower. Professor Trelawney had always seemed so knowledgeable and awe-worthy. But here, in the dank basement of an unassuming Hogsmeade shop, Professor Trelawney looked very small and feeble.

Professor Trelawney's eyes darted from the Death Eaters to the fireplace. Parvati could read her professor's mind as easily as any Legilimens, as could the Death Eaters who quickly blocked the path from Trelawney to the fireplace. Their movement, consequently, opened a pathway for Trelawney to Parvati. With a quick glance at the surrounding Death Eaters, Professor Trelawney scurried across the short distance to her prized pupil.

"Have you seen Erena?" Professor Trelawney whispered, kneeling beside Parvati.

Parvati swallowed a sob and tried to ignore the burning behind her eyes. Professor Trelawney was still under the delusion that Erena would help them. Parvati looked at Trelawney despairingly.

"I told you. She's one of them. She helped them take me and bring me down here," Parvati said, her voice strained.

Professor Trelawney shook her head dismissively. "Erena would never be involved with them."

"I saw her! She told them to bring me down here!" Parvati exclaimed, desperate for Professor Trelawney to comprehend the danger they were in.

Professor Trelawney would not listen to reason. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply. "No. She does not have the aura of a traitor. I know her well. Never have I detected any darkness in my readings or crystal gazing."

Parvati wanted to grab Professor Trelawney's shoulders to shake some sense into her. Death Eaters surrounded them whether or not Professor Trelawney had Seen anything in regards to Erena. Indeed, it would have been helpful had the professor Seen danger before Parvati had stepped foot in Hogsmeade. But reminiscing about past ruminations in her North Tower would not take Professor Trelawney or Parvati from this room. Parvati glanced at the Death Eaters. They had not moved from their positions after Trelawney had crossed the room.

Parvati lowered her voice to a bare whisper. "Professor, do you have your wand?"

"Excellent question, Miss Patil!"

Parvati's stomach dropped as she recognized the high, cold voice that had spoke to her. She dragged her eyes to the ominous red eyes that appeared as the crowd of Death Eaters parted and bowed to him. Professor Trelawney gasped and clutched Parvati's arm tightly.

Voldemort, leading an additional group of Death Eaters, strode into the small room. He smiled menacingly at Parvati, making her stomach turn uneasily. She felt a cold, eerie chill run down her spine and shivered under his gaze.

"Perhaps I need to acquire young girls to do my bidding, since none of you thought to disarm the professor," Voldemort sneered, glaring at his followers. He waved his wand half-heartedly, causing Professor Trelawney's wand to fly from her robes and into his hand. "Surely I do not need the girl to restrain the professor?"

Two Death Eaters darted forward and yanked Professor Trelawney to her feet. With sickening dread, Parvati watched as her professor was forced into the manacles hanging from the wall. Professor Trelawney's arms were stretched awkwardly above her head. Her eyes darted to Voldemort. Parvati could see her professor trembling as she stared in horror at the sight of the Dark Lord.

"I demand you let us go!" Professor Trelawney shrieked, her voice laced with fear.

Voldemort eyed Trelawney with amusement. He then broke into a cold, unnatural laugh.

"You are in no position to make demands, you stupid fool," he stated plainly.

Professor Trelawney seemed to shrivel under his glare, yet still she persisted.

"Let my pupil go."

Voldemort strode across the room, peering threateningly into Trelawney's face.

"Did you not hear me?" he hissed.

"Let her go," Professor Trelawney whispered.

Parvati shook her head in horror. What was Professor Trelawney thinking?

"Apparently your hearing is as foggy as your crystal ball," Voldemort stated plainly. He turned to one of the Death Eaters that had arrived with him and nodded.

"_Crucio!_"

In the next instant, a scream tore from Parvati's throat as pain like she had never felt before coursed through her body. She felt like she was on fire, and like she was freezing; like she was being cut and torn apart; as though her muscles were trying to rip themselves apart and her bones were being shattered to splinters. And then it stopped.

The cries of Professor Trelawney met Parvati's ears.

"She's just a girl! Leave her alone!"

"_Crucio!_"

The pain returned. Parvati was sure she was going to die. Surely only death could cause this much pain. Tears streaked her face as the curse was lifted. She lay on the floor panting.

Professor Trelawney struggled against her restraints. She had closed her eyes to the horror she had been made to witness, but could not stop sound from reaching her ears. When the screaming stopped, she opened her eyes and stared at the crippled figure on the floor. Parvati lay curled in the fetal position, her body trembling.

"What do you want?" Professor Trelawney asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Voldemort grinned menacingly. "Your cooperation."

Professor Trelawney glanced at Parvati's curled body on the floor. Their eyes met, and Parvati pled silently. Trelawney took a deep breath and nodded.

Voldemort turned and nodded at his followers. All but four Disapparated, leaving the setting much more intimate… and frightening. One Death Eater stood with his wand trained on Parvati, another with a wand trained on Trelawney, the third walked to the door and stood guard, while the fourth stood beside Voldemort.

"Administer the potion, Bella."

Voldemort's voice was low and commanding. The Death Eater at his side stepped forward obediently. The click-clack of heeled boots echoed throughout the concrete room. Parvati watched the Death Eater lower her mask as she stepped in front of Professor Trelawney.

"I prefer my victims to see their enemy," the Death Eater called Bella hissed into Trelawney's wan face.

"Lestrange?" Professor Trelawney whispered in fear.

Bella laughed, throwing her head back in glee. Parvati's stomach coiled. There was nothing kind in that taunting laugh.

"Open wide," Bella said in a sing-song voice, raising a vial from her robe pocket.

"What is it?"

Before the words had left Trelawney's mouth, the Death Eater watching over Parvati cried, "_Crucio!_"

Parvati's body convulsed on the floor, the pain slicing through her body. She prayed for it to stop; prayed for the ache to end; prayed for death. The curse was lifted and the ringing of Bella's squeals of delight reverberated off the stone walls.

"Any more questions?" Bella sneered in Trelawney's face.

Professor Trelawney shook her head, her face white and wet with tears. Parvati lay gasping on the floor, her breathing uneven. Trelawney knew if Parvati survived this, she would never be the same.

Bella clutched the back of Trelawney's head, pulling at her hair roughly and tilting her head back. Professor Trelawney knew any resistance would result in more torture for Parvati, so she opened her mouth, taking the liquid in. Bella jabbed her wand under Trelawney's jaw, forcing her mouth closed. Trelawney swallowed, her fate sealed as the potion burned down her throat.

* * *

Harry scanned the Quidditch pitch, finding it empty. He sighed in relief. As much as it annoyed his friends, particularly Hermione, Harry truly liked finding time for himself. He needed time to sort through his thoughts, work through his problems, and contemplate his fate. Sure, it may be considered brooding by most people. But, honestly, what was the big deal? He wasn't hurting anyone. He wasn't snubbing his friends, though he knew they often felt that way. He just needed time alone. And he had found it. He jumped on his broom and took to the sky. Immediately, the burdens of his life became momentarily a distant memory.

Harry set to zigzagging across the pitch, throwing in a Wronski Feint or Sloth Grip Roll now and again for good measure. His heart pounding and sweat trickling down his back, he was oblivious to his teammates beginning to gather below him. A scream of outrage from Ron finally drew Harry's attention. Ron seemed to be hacked off at Katie Bell as he stood bellowing in her face. Harry directed his Firebolt toward the group, curious to Ron's behaviour. He landed a few feet away and began to walk toward Ron, Katie, Dennis, Jack, and Andrew. He wondered where Ginny was.

"Did you tell her that attending Quidditch practice isn't an option?" Ron cried.

Katie shrugged. "I told her that you'd be upset if she wasn't here."

"And what did she say?"

Katie's face reddened. "I won't repeat what she said you could do to yourself."

Ron's face burned in anger. "Who the bloody hell does she think she is? Does she think just because she's my sister she can get away with this? No bloody way! If she can't make it to practice, then I'll find someone else who takes this game more seriously."

Ginny wasn't coming to practice? Harry couldn't believe it. Ginny never missed practice. She was usually the first one there, and the last to leave. What was going on?

Katie shrugged. "She wouldn't budge. I tried to convince her. I think throwing her off the team might be a bit extreme, though. We all have our off days."

Ron shook his head. "That's no excuse. We're a team, and we work and practice as a team. If I let her off the hook, then it gives everyone else a right to skip practice. I won't have it!" Ron exclaimed, his eyes flashing madly. "We're already wasting time. Sloper! Kirke! Get your arses on your brooms! What are you waiting for?"

Jack and Andrew jumped onto their brooms obediently and took to the sky. Ron then rounded on Dennis and Katie.

"You two, there's no reason you can't start without her. This will be a good way to practice two-person formations in case one of the Chasers is injured during play," Ron said. He watched as they mounted their brooms and soared to the center of the pitch before turning to Harry.

"Harry, go back to the dormitory and get Ginny. I don't care what her excuse is. She needs to be here."

Harry squirmed uncomfortably. "Ron," he began quietly, "you saw how upset Ginny was. Why don't you give her a break?"

Ron shook his head, his eyes blazing. "That's exactly why she needs to be up here. She's not doing herself any good by crying into her pillow. If you care at all about her, Harry, you'll go get her."

Harry glared at Ron. "Of course I care about her, but – "

"Then go get her," Ron interrupted.

"I can't go into the girls' dormitory," Harry argued, trying a different tack.

"So find someone who bloody well can!" Ron exclaimed. "You're the bloody Boy-Who-Lived, I'm sure you can figure out a way to get a girl out of her dormitory! And if you see Dean, give him a kick in the shins for whatever he did to my sister."

"That won't be necessary."

Ron and Harry spun on their heels to see Ginny marching towards them with her broom in hand.

"I could hear you screaming all the way to the castle," Ginny exclaimed, sending Ron a death glare. "Do you have to be such a prat?"

"You're late," Ron said, mirroring her glare.

"I'm here now, _Captain_."

"Katie and Creevey are already up there," Ron said. "You can go apologize to them for being late."

Ginny stuck her tongue out at Ron and straddled her broom. She darted a glance at Harry, and then kicked off from the ground.

Harry turned to Ron. "You really can be a sodding prat, mate."

Ron shrugged. "I'm her big brother. It's my job."

They grinned at each other before kicking off and joining practice.

* * *

Parvati watched in horror as Professor Trelawney swallowed the potion that had been poured into her mouth. A profound sense of foreboding drenched the still air in the room. The satisfied smirk on Voldemort's face mixed with the girlish glee on Bella's only saturated the sense of dread within Parvati further. Professor Trelawney squeezed her eyes shut and begun coughing and gasping desperately as if she were being choked. She struggled against her restraints, her body shaking violently as the potion seeped through her body. Parvati sat frozen in terror.

"Is it working, Master?" Bella whispered in excited awe.

"Quiet!" Voldemort hissed.

Bella cowered slightly and bowed her head in submission.

Professor Trelawney's body suddenly stilled and her breathing evened out. Her legs gave out, leaving her hanging like a rag doll from the manacles chained to the wall. If Trelawney's eyes had not been open, Parvati would have thought her asleep.

Voldemort's eyes gleamed. He whispered in excitement. "Excellent. It's just as I had hoped. If everything goes as planned, it will have indeed been worth spilling my own blood for the potion."

Voldemort walked towards Trelawney raising his wand. Professor Trelawney's head rose, her eyes wide open and captured in Voldemort's gaze.

"Yes, I see," Voldemort whispered. His eyes narrowed, deep in concentration. He stepped closer. "I see where it's hidden," he murmured. The Death Eaters in the room watched with intrigue, forgetting their watchful duty, including the Death Eater by the door who walked forward slowly in awe of his Master.

Voldemort closed his eyes, his wand drawing intricate patterns in the air in front of him. Parvati watched his mouth working the silent incantations. What on earth was it that Professor Trelawney would be privy to that would make her a target of Voldemort's? Was it really Professor Trelawney that Voldemort had been after all this time? Was Parvati just a pawn, and Trelawney the King that Voldemort wanted trapped? That made less sense to Parvati than her own capture had.

Professor Trelawney whimpered. In place of the blank gaze that had reflected in her eyes was a look of shock and fear. It seemed as though she were trying to tear her eyes away from Voldemort, but was powerless to do so.

A distant sound drew Parvati's attention away from the spectacle before her. She stared at the open doorway. For a flicker of a moment, she swore she had seen a shadow pass through the doorway. The open doorway. Parvati glanced back to the Death Eaters. They were completely engrossed in watching their Lord perform his sick, twisted magic. Parvati looked back at the door. Her path was clear. If she moved slowly, maybe she could get out and find help for Professor Trelawney before the Death Eaters noticed her absence. The thought of Erena waiting upstairs caused Parvati to hesitate. Another strangled whimper from Trelawney emboldened Parvati. With a last glance at her captors, she began to slowly and quietly crawl to the door.

Merlin, she wished she were closer. Her knees ached from being thrown to the floor earlier. Her hands were raw with cuts and scrapes. Her muscles screamed at her in protest, reminding her of being under the Cruciatus. But she plowed on. One step. Another step. And another. She dared not glance behind her. The extra movement may just be that which would give her away. Inch by inch she moved. Her breathing was shallow, but her heart beat madly. She could very well be performing the act that would seal her death. But she had waited for death long enough. She was going to take this chance. She had to.

The staccato whimpers of Trelawney echoed in the room, slicing through the heavy air. The Death Eaters remained silent and motionless beside Voldemort. His wand moved gracefully in beautiful arcs, belying the evil spells the movements cast. Parvati's eyes were locked on the doorway. She moved closer, closer, closer.

She paused and shook her head. Her eyesight was failing her. The image of the doorway seemed to shiver and then become still, shiver and still, time and time again. She was finally losing it. After all she had been through, it really shouldn't have been a surprise. Added to her botched eyesight was her addled hearing. She strained her ears, certain she could hear soft footsteps. And there, that was certainly the rustling of robes. She chanced a glance behind her. Nobody had moved. What on earth was going on? Voldemort's voice broke the silence.

"Yes!" he cried, triumphant. "Nearly there!"

His eyes shot open, his red gaze glowing venomously. His wand stilled and then flicked with fervor as he cried, "_Invoco memorae!_"

What happened next would become a blur in Parvati's memory. A cacophony of curses and hexes reverberated off the walls from invisible assailants, causing the Death Eaters to duck and cast shields. They whirled around, protecting their Master whose fury was palpable. The glow of his eyes made the former hue pale in comparison.

"You ingrates!" Voldemort screamed. "Is this the protection you offer me?"

He grabbed Bella, pressing his finger to the inside of her wrist. She winced, but maintained a fiendish gleam in her eye. Among the blazing streaks of red, green, purple, and blue hexes flying through the air was a series of resounding cracks as Death Eater after Death Eater Apparated into the room.

"I want them both brought back to me!" cried Voldemort in anger. "If my plans are foiled, whoever is responsible will pay dearly." He then turned and Disapparated.

_Coward_, Parvati thought silently. She looked around the room, crouching close to the ground. She realized the blur of movement she had seen by the door had been the invisible assailants that were now attacking the Death Eaters with a vengeance. As she scanned the room, she could catch glimpses of blurred movement among the Death Eaters. It was impossible to tell who was winning the battle. Parvati assumed the assailants were Aurors, but it was unclear how many there were. She wouldn't have minded joining the fray herself, but without a wand, she knew any effort on her part would be futile.

She looked behind her and saw a clear path to the doorway. Turning and looking to the back wall, she saw Professor Trelawney hanging limply, her eyes now closed. Parvati swallowed, a lump forming in her throat. _Is she dead?_ Parvati wondered, her stomach twisting painfully. Without a wand, how was she supposed to unclasp the shackles imprisoning her professor? And even if Parvati could remove the manacles, how would she manage to carry an unconscious body undetected? But shouldn't she at least try? Would she be able to live with herself if she knew that she had left Professor Trelawney unconscious and defenseless, surrounded by Death Eaters?

Parvati cursed silently. It was an impossible situation. Either go alone and live with guilt, or try to take Professor Trelawney and get killed, for surely she would not be able to go unnoticed. The longer she sat and contemplated, the less likely that either option would lead to a successful escape. Parvati looked at her favourite professor, her heart twisting painfully. Her eyes burned as she bid a silent farewell before turning and pushing herself to her feet.

She took only one step before her legs gave out underneath her. The sting of a hex vibrated through her body. She pushed herself to her knees, determined. She crawled forward, only to be hit by a body-binding curse. She fell with a thud to the floor. Whoever had attacked must have been satisfied, for she was left lying frozen on the floor. She was uncertain how long she laid there staring at the blank, cold wall. The sound of shrieks and hexes whizzed around her. Her heart continued its incessant pounding in her head.

Suddenly, she felt her body relax. The curse had been lifted. Parvati pushed herself to her knees once again. She did not look back. She began crawling forward, desperate to try until the end. One, two, three inches further. The sound of conflict ensued, battling for dominance with the pounding of Parvati's heart. She was so close. She was nearly there. She was going to –

Parvati yelped as her body was raised into the air and then thrown forcefully against the wall. Pain shot through her body, her head cracking against the wall. She fell to the ground, gasping for breath.

"You're mine, pretty one!"

Parvati squeezed her eyes shut, recognizing the voice of the Death Eater that had come to her cell, his breath laced with Firewhiskey. She wanted to move, was desperate to run. She opened her eyes to find him looming over her. He smiled with sickening pleasure. Parvati silently begged for death. His eyes roamed over her broken body and Parvati was sure she had never felt more violated in her life.

"Oh yes, I will make you mine," he sneered, lowering his head to whisper in her ear.

Parvati whimpered. Tears trailed down her face. This was it. There was no hope.

"Please," she whispered. "Please, just kill me."

He laughed, a deep throated, toe curling laugh. "Don't worry, my pretty. You'll be killed, but not until the Dark Lord is through with you. And if I'm lucky, I'll have my opportunity to say goodbye."

Parvati cried and shook her head. The pain coursing through her body was too much. She wouldn't let him do this to her. She didn't deserve to die at his hands. There had to be more for her than this.

"Help!" she cried out.

Her voice was little more than a loud whisper.

His hand hit her face with force, driving the back of her head into the wall once again. She felt the sickening wet warmth of blood soaking her hair. With each pound of her heart, her head thudded in agony.

She swallowed and took a deep breath. "HELP!"

The Death Eater went for her neck this time, squeezing her throat with all his might. A litany of curses fell from his mouth, his eyes burned with fury, and Parvati knew that she was dying, and she felt at peace.

She closed her eyes. All sound fell away. In her mind's eye she pictured her family, she pictured her school friends, she pictured Harry. The pictures began to fade to darkness. She felt herself sliding, gliding, floating…

Parvati gasped and her eyes shot open. She took in a painful gulp of air. The Death Eater lay crumpled on top of her. He must have been hexed. Parvati's eyes darted around. She couldn't see anything around his bulk. She tried to push his body off her, but her muscles wouldn't cooperate. She tried to roll away, but found herself too close to the wall. She fought to breathe, each inhale causing a sharp pain in her side.

A hooded figure appeared over her. Her momentary hope dissipated when she saw the mask of a Death Eater. The limp body was pulled off her and shoved with distaste to the side. The Death Eater glanced around before squatting down in front of her.

"Miss Patil, I'm here to help you. You must trust me."

Parvati stared at the masked figure in front of her in confusion.

The Death Eater glanced around quickly again. "I'm the one who brought you food and water. If you'll let me, I can get you out of here."

Parvati's heart flooded with hope. She allowed the tears to fall as she nodded.

"We'll do a side-along Apparition. I can take you as far as the gates at Hogwarts. Someone will come for you there."

Parvati nodded to show her understanding. She allowed herself to be lifted into his arms. Every inch of her body protested to being moved, but she ignored it. With a quick turn, she felt the odd sensation she recalled from Apparating with her father as a child as she and her silent visitor Disapparated from the dark, hateful basement.

With a _pop_ they appeared outside the Hogwarts gates. The Death Eater lowered her gently to the ground.

"I'm sorry I can't stay," he said as he straightened, "but I need to return before my absence is noted."

Parvati watched as the Death Eater turned toward the castle. He waved his wand, emitting a silver blaze that raced toward the castle. He turned and kneeled beside her.

"Someone from the school will be here for you shortly," he said softly. He paused and then said, "I'm sorry you had to endure so much. I'm sorry I couldn't have done more."

Parvati smiled weakly. "You saved me."

He nodded and pushed himself to his feet.

"Goodbye, Miss Patil."

He then turned and Disapparated.

* * *

Harry was beginning to think it had been a terrible idea to _allow_ Ginny to practice, never mind force her into it. She had been completely reckless the entire practice. Not only was she pulling daring stunts, she was endangering the other teammates. Ron had shouted at her to the extent that his voice was hoarse. It was a tough and grueling practice. Everyone was dead tired, their muscles aching, and their uniforms soaked with sweat. Despite Ginny's behaviour, it had been a good practice. The team maneuvered flawlessly. They had established a form of silent communication, reading each other effortlessly and orchestrating plays that no other team at Hogwarts would have thought possible.

Harry descended to the ground slowly. He was worried about Ginny, but wasn't sure what to do about it. She hadn't spoken to him in days, and had barely spared him a glance all practice. He couldn't stand this weird silence that had settled over their friendship, and he was determined to put an end to it.

Harry landed, spotting Ginny and Katie making their trek back to the castle. He saw Kirke and Sloper helping Ron put the equipment away, so Harry decided that now was the time to act.

He jogged towards the girls, falling into step beside them.

"Good practice, yeah?" he commented.

Katie groaned. "If good means back-breaking, then yes, good practice."

Harry nodded and glanced at Ginny. She stared at the ground in front of her.

"You seemed to work particular hard, Gin," he commented, trying to draw her out.

Keeping her eyes trained on the grass in front of her, Ginny shrugged and said, "I s'pose."

They walked a few steps in silence. Ginny was not making this easy. Well, Harry wasn't going to let her get away with it.

"Listen, Ginny. Can we talk?"

Ginny stopped, planting a fist on her hip. "Harry, I am in no mood for a big brother talk."

Harry stopped, squaring his shoulders for battle. "First of all, I'm _not_ your brother. Second, I need to talk to you about Norbert."

Ginny's face flushed in embarrassment and her eyes dropped to the ground. Katie, feeling as though she were intruding, waved awkwardly and jogged away, leaving Harry and Ginny alone. Harry stepped toward Ginny hesitantly.

"Will you talk to me?" he asked softly.

Ginny raised her eyes to Harry. He felt his heart constrict as he took in the lost and hurt look in Ginny's eyes.

"I've been a horrible friend," she said quietly.

"Yes, you have," Harry agreed. "But here's your chance to make it up to me."

"Okay," Ginny replied. "But please, no big brother stuff."

"I'm _not_ your brother," Harry said, more vehemently than was necessary.

Ginny raised her eyebrow and shrugged.

Harry took a deep breath. He knew why he didn't want Ginny thinking of him as a brother, but that didn't give him permission to act like a prat. It was his own damn fault for being blind to her beauty when she was available, stupid prat that he was.

"Fancy a walk?" Harry asked, not wanting Ron or his other teammates to interrupt his chat with Ginny.

"Sure," Ginny said, slinging her broom over her shoulder. "Lead the way."

Harry nodded, turning to walk towards the lake. They walked in silence for awhile. The sun was sinking low towards the horizon, creating a glowing haze over the grounds. Harry glanced at Ginny. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail. Several wisps of hair had escaped, dancing lightly around her face. Her hair seemed to glow with the setting sun, making her the brightest thing in sight. Her cheeks still held a rosy glow from the exertion of a hard practice.

"Is there something on my face?" Ginny asked, self-consciously swiping her fingers across her cheeks.

Harry blushed, having been caught gawking at her. "Er … no… no, I don't think so."

Harry inwardly cringed at his ability to make a git of himself. He took a deep breath, wanting to detour the conversation before Ginny asked why he had been staring at her.

"So," Harry began awkwardly, "Norbert…"

Ginny turned abruptly, dropping her broom to the ground and clutching Harry's arms. "I'm so sorry, Harry. I know I haven't been a good friend, and I know leaving a stuffed dragon on your bed doesn't make up for me being totally absent in your life the last few days."

Harry smiled. "I liked the stuffed dragon bit." He felt a blush creep across his cheeks. "I know it's not macho, like you said, but I really did appreciate the gesture."

"It should have been me instead," Ginny said, shaking her head.

Harry's mind ran wild. "It should have been you in my bed?"

Ginny's eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped. "Harry!" she shrieked.

Harry grinned, his face deep red. "Well, that is what you said," he reasoned.

Ginny punched Harry in the shoulder, laughing. "You prat! You know that's not what I meant!"

Harry shrugged. "My loss, then."

Harry began to wonder what strange entity had entered his body. Was he actually flirting with Ginny Weasley? Was he mental? Did he have a death wish?

Ginny looked at Harry as though he were a puzzle to figure out. She eventually smiled and said, "I like this side of you, Harry. It doesn't come out nearly enough."

"What side is that?" Harry asked, eager to act in whatever way she found pleasing.

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know. Light-hearted, teasing, almost … playful." Her cheeks burned red as she ducked her head and dug her toe into the ground.

"Well, it's a heck of a lot easier to be those things when you're around," Harry said truthfully. He watched as Ginny smiled at the ground. He decided now may be the time to give her a nudge. "So, are you going to tell me why I haven't seen you in days?"

Ginny's smile turned into a frown. She plopped down to the ground, sitting cross-legged. Harry sat across from her, waiting silently.

"Harry…" Ginny began hesitantly.

"Yeah?"

Ginny's eyes darted up to Harry's before focusing on the grass again. She took a deep breath and asked, "How did you know to break up with Parvati?"

Harry's eyes widened. He hadn't expected her to ask him about relationship advice. _Bloody hell!_

"Um… I don't know. It was just… well… it got to be too much work," he answered lamely.

Ginny nodded. "Mum always says a good relationship requires a lot of work."

Harry frowned. "Are you saying I gave up too easily?"

Ginny raised her head in shock. "No! It's not that at all! I already told you, I thought you and Parvati were a horrible match."

"Right," Harry said, confused.

Ginny sighed, turning her frustration on the blades of grass in front of her, plucking at them with aggravation. "I'm trying to make my relationship with Dean work. I think maybe I gave up too quickly with Michael, not that I regret it or anything, but … I mean… we argued once and broke up. We didn't even try to work on it."

Harry felt his insides twist uncomfortably. Discussing Ginny's boyfriends with her was not something that he enjoyed doing, but at least she was talking to him again. He had to fight the very strong urge to tell Ginny to drop the Great Git. Then he could date her, and they could try some of the things that flashed through his mind at the thought of Ginny on his bed instead of Norbert…

Harry shook his head of the images flooding his mind. _Now's not the time, Potter!_

Clearing his throat, Harry asked, "So, your argument with Dean today was not the first?"

Ginny snorted. "Definitely not." She pulled her knees up in front of her, resting her chin on top of them. "The last week has been rough."

"Because of Hogsmeade?" Harry asked, remembering how hurt Ginny had been that the Great Git hadn't invited her to go with him.

"That's part of it. We argue over other stuff too. It seems all we do lately is argue. I don't want to just give up, but I don't want to keep going on like this either."

Harry watched Ginny. He wanted to break Dean's legs and throw him in the lake for the Giant Squid's dinner. Ginny looked at Harry, stirring the fluttering in his heart.

"When do I say enough is enough, Harry?" she whispered.

Harry swallowed. This was not something he could discuss with her. He wanted to tell her to toss him and throw a few Bat-Bogey hexes for good measure, but if she ever found out how he felt about her, would she think he had done it for selfish reasons? Was it for selfish reasons? His feelings were so jumbled he didn't know which way was up. This was definitely a decision Ginny had to make on her own.

"I can't answer that for you, Gin. I'm rubbish at relationships. All I'll say is that you deserve to be happy. You need to figure out what will make that happen."

Ginny stared morosely across the lake. "What if the thing that would make me the happiest is out of reach?"

Harry felt his insides twist at the sadness in her voice. He reached for her hand and squeezed it. "Nothing is out of reach, Gin."

She turned her eyes to him and smiled. "Maybe not for you."

He chuckled. "I wish that were true."

"I'm sorry I let my relationship troubles with Dean get in the way of our friendship, Harry."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not. I'm going to be the best friend a bloke could have from now on to make it up to you," Ginny stated firmly.

Harry felt his heart sink a little. "Brilliant," he said, less than enthusiastically.

Ginny took both of his hands in hers and straightened her posture. "First off, tell me about your conversation with Dumbledore."

Harry studied Ginny. Determination glowed from her eyes, and he knew she wouldn't be satisfied until he went over everything that had happened over the last few days. He smiled at her and shook his head, loving her tenacity and the way her eyes sparkled at him. He delved into explaining Dumbledore's plot to get Harry to stop blaming himself. He talked about his apology to Ron. They talked at length about the _Daily Prophet_ article and everyone's reactions to it. Harry loved talking to Ginny about anything and everything. He loved the light laugh that fell from her lips as much as the deep, hearty chuckle that shook her whole body. He loved the burning anger and fierce loyalty that radiated from her when she thought he had been treated unfairly. He loved the doting care and sympathy she showed him when he explained with embarrassment what he had done to Professor Pandoran. He simply loved spending time with her.

Harry was listening intently to Ginny's tale of an incident in her Potions lesson that morning when a streak across the sky caught his attention.

"Did you see that?" he asked, jumping to his feet.

Ginny scrambled to her feet beside him. "No. What was it?"

The streak had disappeared from Harry's vision. He spun toward the gates to the school.

"It was a silver streak of something. It came from over there," he said pointing at the gates.

Ginny squinted. "There's someone at the gate."

Harry squinted as well. He could see a figure that seemed to be kneeling next to a dark shape on the ground. The figure rose and with a half-turn toward Harry and Ginny, Disapparated.

"Harry," Ginny said, "was that a…"

"Death Eater," Harry answered in a whisper.

They broke into a run simultaneously, pulling out their wands. Neither knew what the Death Eater had left behind, but if it was a weapon of some kind, they needed to alert their headmaster.

"Maybe you should go get Dumbledore," Harry said.

"Maybe you should," Ginny replied, running stride for stride with Harry.

Harry mentally shook his head. Of course, it was foolish to think he'd be able to talk Ginny away from a potentially dangerous situation. She was as stubborn as him, if not more so.

They slowed as they neared the gate. They eyed the shape nervously, trying to determine from a distance what it was.

Ginny gasped.

Harry froze.

Parvati shifted, her hair falling away from her face.

"Parvati!" Harry shouted, running at the gate.

Ginny was at his side. They tugged at the gate, fighting against its locks. Ginny fired unlocking spells and Harry tried a variety of blasting curses. Finally, the gate sprung open as Dumbledore and McGonagall appeared at their side.

"Is she okay?" Ginny asked, allowing Dumbledore and McGonagall to go to Parvati's side.

"There was someone else," Harry said, his voice choked. Relief washed over him to see Parvati alive, but he was soon nauseous when he saw the bruising on her cheek and McGonagall pull her hand away from Parvati's head, covered in blood. "A Death Eater," Harry continued, his voice tight.

"He rescued me," Parvati's quiet voice explained. "He saved me."

"Did you see his face?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

Parvati shook her head, and then winced. "No," she said, her teeth gritted. "But I know he's bald, and wears a hooped earring."

Harry's mouth opened in shock. His eyes darted from Dumbledore to McGonagall, who seemed to be having a silent conversation. He then looked at Ginny, who mouthed "Shacklebolt?"

Harry nodded, his heart racing. Had it been Shacklebolt in the Death Eater robes? Was he alive and working for Voldemort? Harry couldn't imagine the lengths Shacklebolt would have had to go through to convince Voldemort to not only keep him alive, but to allow him into his inner circle. Harry's respect for the Auror tripled.

"We need to get her to the hospital wing," McGonagall said, casting a worried glance at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore nodded. "Can you stand, Miss Patil?"

Parvati moved slightly and then shook her head, tears pooling in her eyes.

"We'll need a stretcher," McGonagall said. "A simple levitation may be too painful without any support."

Dumbledore nodded and silently conjured a stretcher beside Parvati. Dumbledore and McGonagall rolled her slowly and gently onto her back and onto the stretcher. She attempted to stifle her whimpers, but it was obvious that she was in a great deal of pain.

"Miss Patil," McGonagall said softly. "You need to stay awake. I believe your ribs are broken, but no matter the pain, I need you to stay awake."

Parvati nodded. She had come this far, she wouldn't give up now.

McGonagall levitated Parvati on the stretcher so that she floated several feet off the ground. McGonagall began maneuvering Parvati across the grounds towards the castle. Harry and Ginny stumbled behind, their minds lost in their own thoughts.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley."

Harry and Ginny turned at the sound of Dumbledore's voice. He had locked the gates and reset the wards guarding the school.

"Mr. Brooks has made sure that the corridors have been cleared. We do not want a scene when Miss Patil is brought in. I would ask you to keep this to yourselves tonight. The Patil family has the right to know about Parvati before the whole of Hogwarts."

Harry and Ginny nodded numbly.

"Furthermore, you must keep the information about the Death Eater that brought Miss Patil to us a secret. Do not tell anyone. It is vital to his survival that his whereabouts continue to be unknown."

Harry and Ginny nodded again.

Dumbledore surveyed them thoughtfully. "I am sorry you had to see Miss Patil in such a state, but rest assured, Madam Pomfrey will heal her in no time."

"Thank you, Professor," Ginny mumbled.

Dumbledore nodded and then set off to help Professor McGonagall. Harry and Ginny walked silently to their discarded brooms by the lake. By silent agreement, they walked to the water's edge and stared across the lake, taking in the beauty and peacefulness in the wake of such shock.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Ginny asked quietly.

"I hope so," Harry replied softly. "She was in a lot of pain."

"Did you see … the blood?"

Harry nodded, his throat constricting. "Yeah," he choked out.

They watched the Giant Squid rise to the surface of the lake, stretching each of its arms in turn. Its movements were oddly graceful, creating a soothing ripple across the water which lapped at the shore in front of them. One final flourish, and the mysterious creature sank back to the depths below.

"I feel really stupid about my fight with Dean," Ginny whispered.

Harry turned to her questioningly. "Why?"

Ginny sighed. "I'm upset over a silly boy while Parvati's been going through Merlin knows what. My problems are foolish and insignificant."

"It does put a different perspective on things, doesn't it?" Harry replied.

Ginny had a faraway look as she gazed across the lake. "I need to talk to Dean," she said.

Harry's heart jumped. "Oh?"

"I'll tell him what I need to make me happy and see if he can give it to me," she replied.

It wasn't quite what he was looking for, but Harry was comforted by the fact that his girl would at least be happy.

"Ready to go?" Harry asked.

Ginny turned and locked her gaze with Harry's. Harry found it difficult to breathe as her eyes blazed into his. He fought the urge to pull her to him in a fierce embrace.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she said, bending down to pick up her broom and leading them on their path back to the castle.

A/N: Omg… this chapter has been a thorn in my side. I struggled with so many aspects, trying to get it just right. How did I do?


	28. Chapter 28

_A/N: Alas. Not quite as long to update as last time, but I know, still inexcusably long._

_I'm still not sure about the first half of this chapter, but I hope the second half will make up for it all in the end._

_Lastly, it would be remiss of me not to provide a fluff alert. Consider yourself warned. Enjoy:D_

**Chapter 28—A Closed Door and an Opened Window**

Monday evening saw all of Gryffindor Tower, save for Ginny and Harry, unaware of Parvati's return. They both put their noses into their books, pretending to study and gently nudging one another when one the other jumped each time the portrait hole opened. Harry was sure that Hermione, at least, was beginning to suspect something, but Ron remained oblivious.

Harry, for the most part, could not shake the images from his mind. Visions of Parvati and Shacklebolt haunted his mind's eye. The relief he felt from Parvati's return was outweighed by the guilt he felt for her injuries. He could not shake the sight of Parvati's blood on Professor McGonagall's hands, nor could he forget Parvati's strained voice. She had said little, but her pain was evident in her faint tone.

He tried not to blame himself, really, he did. He did not need another trip to Dumbledore's office or another row with Ron to remind himself that he had no reason to take the blame. But try as he might, he could not come up with another reason why Voldemort would choose Parvati. The Dark Lord's obsession was with Harry, no one else. So then why would he abduct a student? With everything he knew about Voldemort, and Harry felt he knew more than most, he could not figure out any gain Voldemort hoped to achieve through Parvati. Voldemort did not usually waste time on anything that did not have significance to his gain of power, unless it was the mindless torture of Muggles, Muggle-borns, or blood traitors. Parvati did not fit into any of those categories. So what did Voldemort want with her?

Harry ran through the arguments over and over in his head to the point of exhaustion. He tossed and turned all night trying to figure out the puzzle. He eventually fell into a fitful sleep with images of stone walls, chains, and a circle of Death Eaters.

Tuesday morning dawned overcast with heavy clouds. Harry woke earlier than usual and dragged himself outside for his morning workout. The cool air helped to clear his foggy mind and he pushed himself harder than usual in his training. The harder his body worked, the less he thought about the broken body of his ex-girlfriend lying in the hospital wing. Soon everyone would know she had returned. He wondered if he would still be skirted in the hallways as though he were a deranged maniac eager to deliver innocent students on a platter for the Dark Lord. Harry grunted angrily and put himself through another set of push-ups.

Muscles burning and joints shaking, Harry returned to the common room after subjecting himself to an extra thirty minutes of self-induced torture. He was headed toward the boys' staircase when he caught a flicker of movement in his peripheral vision. He turned to see Ginny stretching in an armchair by the fireplace.

"Hey," she murmured sleepily.

"Hi," Harry returned, walking over to her. She was bundled in a thick dressing gown and had ridiculously large, fluffy slippers on her feet. She rubbed her eyes tiredly and frowned at Harry.

"Ron wasn't kidding when he said you woke up at dawn to run," she said.

Harry ran his fingers through his unruly hair and shrugged, trying to ignore how truly adorable she looked all mussed up from sleep.

"What are you doing down here?" he asked.

Ginny's eyes ran over Harry from head to toe, and he was suddenly very conscious of the fact that his clothes were soaked in sweat. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"I couldn't sleep," she replied. "I couldn't stop thinking about Parvati."

Harry reassessed his observation of Ginny. He had assumed she'd been dozing on the armchair, but now he wondered if her tangled hair and half-opened eyes were evidence of a night of tossing and turning and little sleep.

"I know what you mean."

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "I've also been worried that you'd be brooding again."

Harry looked at her in surprise, then smiled sheepishly. "Maybe a bit," he admitted.

"Well, I s'pose it's an improvement if you're actually admitting it," Ginny sighed, standing and walking to Harry. She grabbed his hands and looked them over. "And your knuckles aren't bleeding. I'm impressed."

Harry tried to chuckle at her teasing, but it came out more as a choke. He was finding it extremely difficult to breathe with her standing so close and holding his hands in hers. She seemed rather content to continue holding his hands. Part of him wanted to yank them away and run upstairs to put distance between them; another part of him wanted to tug her closer so his hands could get lost in the mass of fiery red tangles in an enthusiastic snog.

He frowned at his rampant imagination.

Ginny squeezed his hands, misinterpreting his frown. "There's nothing you could have done, Harry."

"Yeah, I know," he replied, pulling his hands free. "I just can't figure out why they took her."

Ginny paused, frowning in thought. "Maybe she knows."

Harry studied Ginny. "You think so?"

Ginny shrugged. "It's a possibility. Maybe she'll have some answers when we see her again."

Harry's frown deepened. "I hope people let her be. I don't want anyone hounding her for information. I'm sure she'll tell Dumbledore anything significant, but the rest of the school can bloody well mind their own business."

Ginny's eyes shone at him.

"What?" Harry sighed.

"You're a good friend, Harry."

He scowled, uncomfortable with the compliment. In his mind, good friends didn't put their friends in danger.

"When do you suppose everyone else will find out?" Harry asked.

Ginny shrugged. "I'm not sure. I peeked in the sixth years' dormitory to see if Hermione was awake, and I noticed Lavender was gone. I'm assuming she's been taken to see Parvati."

Harry was about to voice his own opinion in the matter but was interrupted by the sound of the portrait hole opening. He and Ginny turned to see Professor McGonagall entering the common room.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley, I'm pleased to find some students awake. Mr. Potter, go wake Mr. Weasley and have him help you wake the other students. Miss Weasley, find Miss Granger and do the same. I'd like all the students to meet here."

Harry and Ginny glanced at each other in alarm.

"Does this have to do with Parvati, Professor?" Ginny asked.

Professor McGonagall's eyes flickered. Her eyes softened as she took in Harry and Ginny's worried faces.

"Yes, Miss Weasley. I'll be informing the students about Miss Patil."

"How is she?" Harry asked, his stomach knotting.

"You'll find out along with everyone else, Mr. Potter. Now go on and do as I asked."

Harry looked at Ginny, whose posture seemed to echo Harry's dissatisfaction with McGonagall's answer. After a moment, Ginny shrugged, admitting defeat, and turned and climbed the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

Waking Ron was as unpleasant a task as it ever was, but once roused, he and Harry quickly gathered the boys and herded them downstairs. It seemed to take the girls quite a bit longer, and Harry assumed the delay lay with the girls that insisted on applying their makeup. Hermione and Ginny's repetitive glares at the more 'done up' girls seemed to prove the point. Once everyone was gathered and settled, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, stilling the room.

"I've had all of you woken this morning to bring you good news. Miss Patil has been returned to us. She is currently in the hospital wing recovering," Professor McGonagall stated in a clear, strong voice.

The students interrupted with gasps and shouts. A cacophony of questions was fired at the professor.

"Recovering? Is she hurt?"

"Can we see her?"

"What's wrong with her?"

"Did she say who took her?"

"Did they catch the Death Eaters?"

"How did she get away?"

McGonagall raised her hands, commanding silence.

"I am not willing to give, nor do you need to know, any of the details. While Miss Patil has been gone for a week, and I'm sure many of you are eager to see her again, she will be going home for awhile for some peace and quiet. We did not want Miss Patil to be overwhelmed with well-wishers, nor did Madam Pomfrey want a constant parade of students in the hospital wing.

"Miss Patil will return to Hogwarts when she and her family deem her ready. I will ask you in advance to respect her privacy upon her return. If she desires to share her experience with you, that is her decision, but I will not tolerate any needling her for information."

Students broke off into small groups for hushed conversations. Harry stood numbly, running McGonagall's words through his head, trying to work out a deeper meaning.

"You knew, didn't you?"

Harry turned to Hermione, and asked, "Sorry?"

Hermione leaned toward him and whispered, "You knew that Parvati was back."

Harry knew there was no point in trying to deny it. He nodded.

"W-What? How?" Ron stammered.

Harry glanced at Ginny. She nodded her head in silent agreement.

"Ginny and I found her outside the Hogwarts gates after Quidditch practice yesterday."

"I knew something was going on!" Hermione exclaimed. "I just thought you two had … never mind. Tell us what happened."

Harry allowed Ginny to give the details. The event was still crystal clear in his mind, yet it seemed unreal. Hearing Ginny's account of the events solidified the bizarre incident as truth. It made him feel even more uneasy about Voldemort's actions.

"Mr. Potter! Mr. Potter, over here, please!"

Harry turned at the sound of McGonagall's voice. She was standing near the portrait hole, beckoning him to her. He glanced at his friends who were all looking at him questioningly. Harry shrugged and made his way to his professor.

"Come with me, Mr. Potter."

Harry obeyed and followed McGonagall through the portrait hole. Had he done something that warranted a talking to from his Head of House? He couldn't remember any rule breaking as of late, but trouble always did seem to find him.

After they'd passed through several corridors, Professor McGonagall stopped abruptly, glanced around as though searching for eavesdroppers, then leaned toward Harry to speak quietly.

"I've something I'd like you to do, Harry."

Harry swallowed uncomfortably, unused to his professor using his given name. This was obviously something she personally wanted him to do, not something deemed necessary by the school or the headmaster.

"Yes, Professor?"

Professor McGonagall pressed her lips into a thin line, studying Harry closely. He straightened his posture, though he wasn't sure why.

"I'd like you to talk to Miss Patil."

_What?_

Harry swallowed thickly as his heart pounded in his chest. While he was glad Parvati was back, he did not want to face her. He didn't think he could handle the accusation that would surely be in her eyes, if not in her voice. He had worked so hard on accepting that he could not be to blame for her capture, what would he do if she said it was his fault? What if she blamed him? It would confirm all his fears. It would prove that Voldemort would have his lackeys attack anyone that could be associated to Harry. Harry didn't want that responsibility. He already feared for the lives of his friends, and he really didn't want confirmation of his fears.

Harry shook his head, mouthing wordlessly that he would not, could not go.

Professor McGonagall would have none of his spineless mumblings. She grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him in the direction of the hospital wing. He stumbled along, unable to voice his apprehension.

"I don't expect you to stay long, Potter, but I think it would be beneficial for Parvati to know that she has someone to talk to if need be," Professor McGonagall explained.

_Someone to talk to? Oh god_.

Professor McGonagall thought Harry would be a good person for Parvati to talk to? Did she not know that Harry was complete rubbish with girls, especially at conversation with girls?

"I don't know how much you've shared with her in the past, but it may be helpful to Miss Patil if she knew that another student had faced You-Know-Who and has been able to carry on with his life without too much trouble."

Harry felt as though a bucket of ice cold water had been dumped over him.

"She saw Voldemort?" Harry choked out.

Professor McGonagall stopped her brisk walk to face Harry. Her eyes were sharp, though she looked weary.

"Yes, Mr. Potter. She was face-to-face with You-Know-Who at least once, though I fear it may have been more than that. She has been traumatized and is not yet ready to divulge any details of her capture. The Aurors that were present when she escaped described the situation they walked into, but we all fear there is much more to be learned about the time Miss Patil spent away from us."

"And you want _me_ to talk to her?" he squeaked. How on earth was he, mindless git extraordinaire, supposed to talk to a traumatized girl?

Professor McGonagall's gaze softened. "She's feeling very alone, Harry. She needs her friends."

Harry shook his head. "I'm not sure she'd want to see me."

"You may have broken her heart, Mr. Potter, but you are a fierce friend, and that's all that matters now," she said, resuming their path to the hospital wing.

Harry's eyes snapped up to Professor McGonagall. He was shocked by her words, not only that the professor knew of the short-lived romantic relationship between him and Parvati, but also her statement that he had broken Parvati's heart. Had Parvati really cared that much for him? He couldn't see how or why. He was just plain Harry, not worthy of … well … really, anyone. But if he had indeed broken Parvati's heart, isn't that all the more reason to stay away from her?

His feet followed Professor McGonagall's mindlessly. He was lost in thought and nearly walked into the back of his professor when she stopped once again.

"Wait here while I make the necessary arrangements."

Harry realized they had arrived at the hospital wing. He watched with increasing dread as Professor McGonagall disappeared through the doors. He began to pace in the corridor outside the hospital wing where Parvati lay inside recovering from Merlin knows what kind of wounds. He continued to question Professor McGonagall's logic. What if he went inside and Parvati refused to see him? Worse, what if he made her cry? He always seemed to make girls cry. Why would this be any different? And what on earth would he say? _Hi, Parvati, sorry that sick demented psycho took you prisoner. Want to talk about it?_ Harry groaned. He couldn't do this. He couldn't. He would make a mess of everything and come out making Parvati feel worse.

He began debating the consequences of escaping down the corridor when the doors to the hospital wing swung open. Lavender and Padma walked out, looking as though they hadn't slept all evening. They both stopped short upon seeing Harry.

"What are you doing here?" Padma asked.

"Parvati's not supposed to have any visitors. You can't go in there, Harry," Lavender cut in.

Harry's mouth opened and closed. Did it matter that he didn't _want_ to go in? He would have loved to take their words to heart and return to Gryffindor Tower without a second thought. Unfortunately, McGonagall appeared through the doorway, beckoning Harry in. Harry glanced at the two girls, debating whether or not to say anything. They stared at him with a mixture of distrust and curiosity. Harry decided it wasn't worth trying to explain anything to them. They were simply being protective of Parvati, and nothing he said would make any difference. He slipped past them and followed McGonagall into the hospital room.

Harry's eyes were drawn immediately to the only occupied hospital bed. Parvati lay propped up, looking in much better shape than she had yesterday. A witch and a wizard sat next to the bed speaking to her in soft tones. With horrifying dread, Harry realized that the couple must be Parvati's parents.

_Bloody hell!_

He felt sick. His ex-girlfriend's parents. Surely they would blame Harry for everything that happened to their daughter. If not for her kidnapping, then they'd hate him solely for the fact that he'd supposedly broken Parvati's heart. Having to talk to Parvati was enough for Harry; facing her parents was too much. Who the bloody hell did McGonagall think she was, putting Harry through this? She had to be punishing him for something. He silently vowed to never break school rules again if it meant McGonagall dishing out this kind of retribution.

"Go on, Mr. Potter."

Harry looked at Professor McGonagall as though she had three heads. Did she actually think he would willingly walk up to the Patils? No sodding way!

McGonagall sighed and gripped Harry's arm once again, pulling him, rather roughly, to the small group. Parvati's parents looked up at the sound of their approach, their eyes falling on Harry.

His stomach twisted painfully.

Parvati's father stood and held out his hand. "Mr. Potter. It's an honour to meet you."

Harry shook Mr. Patil's hand in confusion. He glanced at Parvati. She was determinedly avoiding his gaze.

Harry cleared his throat and replied, "It's nice to meet you, sir."

Mrs. Patil stood and shook Harry's hand, saying, "Parvati's told us so much about you."

Harry swallowed and glanced at Parvati again. She was blushing, but still refused to look at him. He returned his gaze to Mrs. Patil and forced a smile and nod in her direction, words failing him completely.

Mrs. Patil turned to Parvati. "We'll just be over talking to Madam Pomfrey. Call us if you need anything."

Parvati nodded and watched her parents and Professor McGonagall as they walked away.

Harry shifted from one foot to another. He had no idea what he was supposed to say or do. Should he sit in the chair beside her? Should he stay standing? Should he welcome her back?

He chanced a glance at her and found her studying his attire. He flushed in embarrassment. He had just met her parents in his t-shirt and shorts, completely soaked in sweat. Not exactly the best first impression.

"I'm sorry I'm not properly dressed. I haven't had a chance to change since my workout this morning," Harry mumbled.

Parvati's eyes darted to his and then refocused on her bedcover. "Oh, no, Harry. You look fine. You … you always look fine. I—I'm the one who looks horrible."

Harry shook his head and moved to the chair beside the bed.

"Actually I was thinking you looked a lot better since yesterday."

"So… so that was you? At the gate?" she asked softly.

"Yeah, I was there," Harry replied softly, sensing her discomfort.

"How awful did I look?" she asked, focusing on a loose thread on the bedcover.

Should he be honest? He knew Parvati hated not looking in tip-top shape, but he also knew that he would rather have someone be honest with him.

"You looked like shite."

Parvati's eyes shot to his in surprise. Harry smiled sympathetically.

She returned his smile and replied, "I felt like shite. Still do, actually."

Harry nodded, wondering how many injuries she was still suffering from. He knew from experience that the worst injuries were often the ones that couldn't be seen. This was especially true when Voldemort was the assailant. This thought reminded Harry of his reason for being there.

He leaned his elbows on his knees, unsure how to proceed. He didn't want to upset her, but he wanted to at least try to do what McGonagall had asked of him.

He took a deep breath and said, "Professor McGonagall told me that you saw Voldemort."

Parvati's body stiffened. Her lips pressed together into a thin line and her eyes blinked rapidly. She nodded.

Unsure how to react to her response, Harry tried to lighten the conversation. "Is he still a right ugly wanker?"

Parvati's eyes widened as she looked at Harry. Her voice was soft and trembled as she spoke.

"He doesn't even look human."

Harry nodded. "I don't expect there's much left of him that's human." He studied Parvati, wondering how much more he could get out of her. "Did you speak to him?"

She nodded, a few tears slipping down her cheeks.

Harry pressed on. "Do you know why he wanted you? I mean, did the Death Eaters take you specifically, or did they want any Hogwarts student and you were in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

He held his breath, hoping he hadn't gone too far. Tears slid silently down her face, her fingers twisting the blanket fiercely between her hands.

"He wanted me."

Harry stared at her, his heart pounding. Oh god, it was true. It had to be because of him. It had to be.

"Was it… did they want you because of me?" he asked.

Parvati looked at him through her tears. His gut clenched painfully. He steeled himself for her answer.

"That's what I thought at first, but now… now I'm not sure."

Harry's breath was coming out in sharp bursts. That wasn't exactly a denial. He sat in his chair, frozen as Parvati continued.

"The first time I was taken to … to… You-Know-Who, he… he invaded my mind. He flicked through my memories, and… and he seemed to concentrate on my memories with you."

Harry wasn't sure what to make of that information.

"Why would he want your memories of me?"

Parvati shook her head. "I don't know. He didn't find what he was looking for, though. I think I proved to be a big disappointment to him."

Harry frowned. What did Voldemort think he would find in Parvati's mind? Parvati hadn't been there with Harry on any of his past escapades. They didn't share any experiences that Voldemort would have any interest in. It made absolutely no sense. Unless…

Unless Voldemort thought Harry had told Parvati about the prophecy. But that would mean that Voldemort knew that Harry had heard the prophecy. There was no way for Voldemort to know that. As far as anyone was concerned, the truth about the prophecy was destroyed with the orb. Harry was sure Dumbledore wasn't about to go spouting off that Harry knew its contents.

Parvati's voice cut through his internal musings.

"It seemed that his initial plan only included me, but when I couldn't give him what he wanted, he… he used me to get Professor Trelawney to cooperate."

Harry's stomach dropped to his feet. He stopped breathing.

"W-What?" he whispered, hoarsely. Since when was Professor Trelawney involved?

Parvati still wasn't looking at Harry. Her eyes spilled tears onto her cheeks as she seemed to relive her experience. Her voice shook as her shoulders trembled.

"H-He attacked Professor Trelawney. A-Anytime Professor Trelawney wouldn't do as he asked, he would… he would…"

Parvati turned her head away from Harry, squeezing her eyes shut as she fought the terror inside her. As much as Harry wanted to hear the rest of her story, specifically what on earth any of this had to do with Trelawney, he could not bear to see her go through this.

"It's okay, Parvati. You don't have to talk about this," Harry said, softly.

She shook her head. "Why did he have to hurt Professor Trelawney? She's never bothered anyone!"

Harry swallowed. His heart pounded frantically in his chest. Parvati was right. Professor Trelawney had never bothered anyone. She kept to herself. She, for the most part, was rather mad and most people took her ramblings with a grain of salt. But she had been involved with something that Voldemort was deeply interested in. Harry's gut clenched. What if Dumbledore was wrong? What if Professor Trelawney did have a memory of the prophecy? All Voldemort had to do was figure out the initials on the orb's label …

Harry took a deep breath. "Parvati … are you certain it was Professor Trelawney that you saw?"

She sobbed and nodded her head.

"What… what did Voldemort do to her?"

Parvati sniffled. Her voice trembled as she spoke. "They forced a potion down her throat… and … and then he did some kind of spell on her."

Harry leaned forward. "Do you remember the spell?"

Parvati shook her head, a sob escaping her throat.

Harry hung his head low, trying not to feel disappointed. If Parvati had remembered the spell, then perhaps Dumbledore could figure out Voldemort's plans.

"Harry?"

Harry looked up. Parvati was staring wide-eyed at him. Her eyes reflected the days of pain she had endured. He silently cursed himself for being so selfish.

"Yeah?" he answered.

She swallowed and took a deep breath. "Is it… is it true that you've been under the Cruciatus Curse?"

Harry's body stiffened. "Yes," he replied uncomfortably.

"Do … do you ever forget the pain?"

_Oh god._

Parvati had been put under the Cruciatus Curse. No one deserved that. No one.

Harry forced his voice past the large lump in his throat. "No. You don't ever forget the pain. It'll eventually go to the back of your mind, but … but you'll always remember."

Parvati frowned and nodded.

"Parvati," Harry began, hesitatingly, "have you told this all to Dumbledore or McGonagall? About Trelawney, I mean."

Parvati shook her head. "I… I couldn't talk about it… It's too hard."

Harry smiled gently. "But you just told me."

Her cheeks coloured and she looked away. "I know. It was just… easier… talking to you."

Harry raised an eyebrow, impressed that McGonagall had got it right.

"You need to tell them, Parvati. I know they may seem intimidating at first, but when it comes to stuff like this, there's no one better to have in your corner. It's really important that you talk to at least one of them. They'll make sure the right people know about it so they can try to stop Voldemort from hurting anyone else."

Parvati pressed her lips together and nodded. She leaned back against her pillows and stared up at the ceiling. Harry stood and was about to take his leave when Parvati spoke.

"I think it was a memory spell."

Harry's head shot to her. She looked at him and repeated, "The spell Voldemort used on Professor Trelawney. I think it was a memory spell."

The world seemed to spin around Harry as he processed Parvati's words. A memory spell? Was he right? Was Voldemort after the prophecy?

"Did," Harry began, his voice thick, "did it work?"

Parvati frowned in thought. "I don't know. I think the Aurors got there before he was finished. He seemed to be able to see what he wanted, but I don't think he actually got it, if that makes any sense. He was the first to leave."

Harry's heart thudded in his chest. "And Professor Trelawney?"

"Professor McGonagall said the Aurors took her to St. Mungo's. She's in the Spell Damage Ward. That's all they'd tell me."

Harry let out a small sigh in relief. The Spell Damage Ward wasn't the best place to be, but at least she was no longer with Voldemort.

After chatting about a few more mundane topics, Harry took leave of Parvati and made his way back to Gryffindor Tower. It was blissfully empty, allowing Harry to process his conversation with Parvati as he showered and got dressed for lessons. He didn't feel right talking to Ron or Hermione about anything yet. Since he hadn't told them about the prophecy, he couldn't really get to the base of his fears in a conversation with them.

Parvati's experience made Harry doubt whether he'd ever be able to share the prophecy with his friends. Of course, it wouldn't matter if they knew or not, Voldemort would likely assume they did know. Would they be better off not knowing if they were captured? Ugh. Harry didn't want to think about his friends being taken as Parvati had been. He couldn't stand the thought of them suffering because of him.

Harry was thankful that the first class of the day was Care of Magical Creatures; Hagrid was surely the only professor that wouldn't give Harry detention for being late. As it was, Hagrid simply gave Harry a wide grin and a wave and carried on with his lecture.

Harry drifted from class to class, dodging questions from Ron and Hermione concerning his meeting with McGonagall. Lessons were laden with work, forcing his mind away from his brooding thoughts. By the time his study period arrived at the end of the day, Harry's mind was overwhelmed with new theories and complex spells. He sat for some time with Ron in the library, staring listlessly across the room. Frustrated, he stood up and slung his rucksack over his shoulder.

"I need some fresh air," he said.

Ron looked up curiously from his Transfiguration text. "Do you want company?"

Harry shook his head. "Nah. I just need to clear my head a bit."

Ron nodded, knowing better than to get overbearing. "Right. You know where to find me if you change your mind."

Harry smiled and nodded at Ron, thankful to have him as a best mate.

Harry made his way through the corridors of the castle to the Entrance Hall. He pushed open the large doors and was greeted with a rush of wind and thick, low-lying clouds. He tightened the collar of his robes against the wind, and trekked down to the lake. His feet led him to his favourite spot, slightly concealed from the castle, yet close enough to keep watch on any goings on all the same. He dropped his rucksack on the shore and settled on a large rock that jutted out into the lake. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, as he stared into the water below. This side of the lake was sheltered by the Forbidden Forest, and the water was still and untouched by the day's wind. The crisp autumn air bit as his cheeks. The low-lying clouds swirled above him, reflecting his mood.

Harry went through his conversation with Parvati. He tried to look at all possibilities. One was that Voldemort had wanted Trelawney and Parvati for something that had absolutely nothing to do with Harry.

He had trouble taking much stock in that one.

Another possibility was that Voldemort was after the prophecy.

This was the possibility that Harry couldn't deny. It made everything fall into line. Voldemort took Parvati in hopes that Harry had told his girlfriend about the prophecy. An easy target. A Hogwarts student. Not nearly trained well-enough to fight an onslaught of Death Eaters. Harry's insides roiled with fury at the thought.

And then when he couldn't get the information from the innocent Hogwarts student, Voldemort went to the next step. Harry would admit it was slightly more daring, taking a Hogwarts professor. But anyone who knew Professor Trelawney would know that she had less fight in her than a first year student on his first trip on the Hogwarts Express. Harry couldn't imagine her using any sort of defensive magic, which made her capture just as despicable as Parvati's.

But Dumbledore had said that Professor Trelawney had no memory of the prophecy. Wouldn't Voldemort know that?

The memory spell. What if Voldemort had found a way to make Professor Trelawney remember? Maybe that's what Parvati had witnessed…

Yes. That made sense. Voldemort spent all of last year carving the elaborate plan to get Harry to the Department of Mysteries so that Voldemort could get his hands on the prophecy. Was it so outlandish that he would go to even greater lengths to find a way to retrieve the memory from the prophecy's provider? No. Not outlandish at all. It's exactly something Voldemort would do if he was still hell bent on finding out the contents of the prophecy.

Harry sighed, wishing he had more control. Wishing he had never heard of that sodding prophecy. Wishing that the thing with Voldemort would just be over and done with. Wishing that no one else would be hurt because he hadn't 'vanquished the Dark Lord'.

Usually, Harry was successful in not allowing the knowledge of the prophecy weigh him down. But the weight of his knowledge followed him everywhere. No matter how successful Harry thought he had pushed it out of his mind, the prophecy was always there lurking. It was as though the prophecy were a beast, and Harry its prey. At such times, the prophecy consumed him completely.

Perhaps that was why he hadn't noticed anyone walking towards him.

"Hi, Harry."

Harry jumped, nearly toppling off the rock. His heart pounding in surprise, he whipped his head around to see Ginny standing on the shore.

Ginny's forehead wrinkled as she studied Harry's demeanor. "Sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to disturb you. I was just looking for a place to collect my thoughts, and instead I found you."

Harry studied Ginny. There was something off in her voice, and if he didn't know better, he would almost argue that it looked as though she had been crying. Harry felt a pang in his heart as he saw the sadness in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Ginny?"

She stared out across the lake, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her lips were pressed into thin line. She blinked slowly, and then turned her soft brown eyes on him.

"Dean and I broke up."

Harry's mouth dropped open. Pure elation careened through his body, but the sadness in Ginny's eyes tore at his heart.

"I'm sorry, Ginny," he said softly. Well, he was sorry. Sorry that she was upset, anyway.

Ginny sat down beside him, drawing her knees to her chest.

"Your talk with him didn't go so well, then?" Harry asked, remembering Ginny's determination last night to talk things through with the Great Git.

Ginny shook her head. "The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Dean and I were never going to work. He wanted things from me that I couldn't give, and he… well, he's just not right for me."

Harry swallowed, knowing it would be tactless for him to scream out, 'Damn right!'

Instead, he said, "So, when did you break up with him then?"

Ginny laughed, which ended up sounding more like a sob. "He beat me to it."

Harry watched her silently as she worked her throat.

"He realized he didn't like being last on my list of priorities. He told me he didn't think it was something he should have to ask for, and I suppose he's right. I mean, if I really cared for him, he should be at the top of my list, don't you think?"

Harry shrugged noncommittally. "I'm not exactly an expert in this area."

Ginny smiled at him sadly. "Well, I don't think he knew how to handle my temper, anyway."

Harry chuckled, remembering the occasions when he had been on the receiving ends of one of her tantrums. "Yeah, I'd say he's better off."

A choked laugh escaped Ginny's throat, only to be smothered when she buried her face in her knees. Her back shook as she cried softly. Harry felt a stab of regret at his poor choice of words.

"Ginny, I'm sorry. That was a stupid thing for me to say," he said, placing a hand awkwardly on her back.

Ginny leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. "It's okay, Harry. It's not what you said. Even though I know Dean and I are better off apart, it still sucks to be dumped."

Harry worked his throat, unsure of what to say. He decided to keep his mouth shut for fear of saying something wrong again. He rested his cheek on top of her head, his arm circling her back, and his hand rubbing her arm. He tried to deny how perfect she felt at his side.

She groaned and swiped at her eyes. "Merlin, I feel like such a failure. I thought dating was supposed to be fun. I think I'm destined to grow up to be an old spinster. Can't you just picture me living in a rundown cottage with an army of cats, knitting little sweaters for them, and sharing our meals at the kitchen table?"

Harry laughed and shook his head. "Definitely not. You've got too much sprite in you to become a spinster."

Ginny snorted.

Harry squeezed her shoulder. "It's true. I bet there are already blokes lining up to ask you out."

"I doubt that."

Harry rested his chin on top of Ginny's head, breathing in her sweet scent. "I think you'd be surprised, Miss Weasley. You're quite the hot number," he said teasingly.

Ginny elbowed him in the ribs, causing Harry to drop his arm from her. She turned and looked into his eyes, smiling.

"You can't be serious. First of all, no bloke is going to want to put up with my temper, and second, Ron's got all the decent blokes scared off."

Harry shook his head. "Nah. I can guarantee there are loads of blokes that have fancied you for months like me but thought they never stood a chance."

The words hung in the air in front of Harry, like a bubble in those Muggle cartoons.

_Like me? Like me!_

Oh, Merlin! Maybe she didn't hear those two words. Maybe he didn't actually say them … maybe he just thought them in his head. Maybe…

He chanced a glance at Ginny.

_Bloody hell!_

She was staring at him with her mouth hanging open, confusion replacing the hurt in her eyes.

Harry's heart pounded noisily in his chest. He was such an unconceivable prat! He tried to think of a different way his words could be interpreted so that he hadn't just said… _Oh god_. It was hopeless. Ginny had been confiding in him as a friend, and he'd just said that he … and she'd just broken up with her boyfriend.

_God, Potter. That was smooth. Real smooth. Sodding prat_

_Hurry up and say something! The sooner you say something, the more likely she'll forget—both what you said, and that you're an inconceivable git._

A drop of rain plopped on Harry's cheek. Another on his glasses. He ran his fingers through his hair, fighting for something normal to say. Scratch that. Fighting for _anything_ to say, because Merlin knew Harry's anything but normal.

A steady drizzle set in. Harry glanced up at the sky. The clouds were darkening and the wind began to pick up.

He cleared his throat. "We should get back to the castle before—"

His words were cut off by a crash of thunder. The skies opened up and the rain drove itself in a fury to the earth below.

"Let's go!" Harry shouted, jumping from the rock. He picked up his and Ginny's rucksacks. Ginny landed beside him, a grin on her face.

"Race ya!"

Harry had barely processed her words when he watched her take off, full sprint toward the castle. He hiked their bags further up his shoulder and ran after her in pursuit. She may be small, but Merlin, she could run. Harry had barely caught up to her when they stumbled through the doorway of the castle. Ginny leaned against the wall to catch her breath, her eyes bright and her cheeks flushed.

Harry shook his head like a dog, sending droplets of water flying across the floor.

"Come on," he said, pulling on Ginny's arm. "We've got to get out of here before Filch finds us and gives us detention for messing up his floors."

They bounded up the many staircases, continuing their race. They pulled and shoved each other, trying to gain the advantage. They both stumbled to a halt, breathless, in front of the Fat Lady's portrait.

Harry dropped their rucksacks to the floor, and put his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. He glanced at Ginny. Despite the fact that her hair was plastered to her head from the rain, she couldn't have looked prettier. Her cheeks were still flushed and her eyes were sparkling brightly. She grinned at him.

"I think I can skive off Battle Training tonight. That was enough of a workout for me."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Better throw in a few push ups for good measure."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "No thanks. I s'pose I'll have to go to training. I wouldn't want to get in the teacher's bad books."

Harry winked and said, "Don't worry. I can put in a good word for you."

_What's got into you, Potter? Did you seriously just wink at Ginny Weasley?_

Ginny giggled.

Harry usually hated it when girls giggled. It always made him uncomfortable. But Ginny's giggle … Ginny's giggle made him warm inside.

Harry grinned, picked up his rucksack, and turned to give the Fat Lady the password. Ginny grabbed Harry's arm before he got the chance to speak. Harry turned to her and saw that her face had drawn serious.

He swallowed hard. "What is it, Gin?"

Ginny searched Harry's eyes. She cleared her throat and looked down at her hands.

"I just wanted to thank you … for listening … and for the nice things you said about me."

"You don't need to thank me. I didn't say anything that wasn't true."

Ginny stepped closer to Harry, her eyes searching his. She bit her lower lip, before asking, "Not anything?"

Harry's heart jumped into his throat. He had been foolish to think a little bit of rain would have washed her memory of his blunder. He knew what she was asking. It was the point of no return. He knew he had to dive in head first or walk away to never go back again. The timing was off, but it was now or never.

Harry stared into Ginny's eyes, dark and open wide waiting for his response. His heart pounded loudly in his head, and he felt his cheeks begin to burn. He attempted to swallow the enormous lump in his throat.

He looked her straight in the eye, and said, "Everything I said was true, Ginny. Everything."

Ginny's eyes widened and then fluttered as she moved her gaze to the floor. Her eyebrows knitted together, and her mouth opened and closed as she struggled to find her voice.

"I … I don't know what to say."

Harry was certain a rock had been dropped in his stomach. He didn't know how, exactly, he had expected her to react. Maybe a slap across the face? A bone crushing hug? A mind-blowing snog? He supposed he expected all sorts of reactions, but not a non-reaction. It was worse than any other scenario he had thought up.

"I'm sorry, Ginny. I never meant to—to say anything… and I don't know why I did. It just kind of … slipped out. I mean… our friendship is more important than anything. I never, never want to lose you as a friend, Gin. So… so let's just forget about this, yeah?"

She cocked her head to the side, trying to puzzle him out. "You fancy me, then?"

_Merlin! Did she need a written confession?_

Harry nodded.

"Since when?"

Harry had his own questions. For example, since when was Ginny Weasley into bloody torture?

He swallowed and shrugged. "Since sometime this summer, I reckon."

Ginny's eyes widened. "What about Parvati? You were dating Parvati."

_Hmm… good point._

"I … uh … didn't really acknowledge my, er, feelings, until Parvati called me on it."

"What? What do you mean?"

Harry squirmed uncomfortably, his face a bright red. "Parvati, she, umm … when we broke up, she said she knew that I'd never look at her the way I look at you." He cleared his throat and continued. "Although, I don't think I really accepted what she had accused me of until our game of Catch the Snitch. Then… then I knew for sure."

"Knew what for sure?"

_Torture. Pure torture._

"That I, er, fancy you."

A big hole. That's what Harry needed. A huge, bottomless pit for him to throw himself into and never have to face Ginny Weasley again.

"And you're not taking the mickey? You're not just saying this to make me feel better?"

"No! I wouldn't lie about something like this!" Harry snapped, frustrated.

"I know. I'm sorry." She did look sorry, and confused. "I … I just don't know what to make of this information."

Harry swallowed. "Like I said, Ginny. Let's just forget about it. I don't want to ruin our friendship."

Ginny nodded, her brow furrowed. "What if I fancied you? Would you still want to be just friends?"

_What if … what if she … what if she ….? Was she saying she did? No. No, it was just a … a what if, but … WHAT IF? _

_Blimey! When would this bloody torture end?_

Clearing his throat, Harry said, "I—I s'pose that if you should… ever … uh, fancy me, I would, er, wanttobemorethanfriends."

"All right, then," Ginny said, nodding thoughtfully.

_All right, then? ALL RIGHT, THEN? What kind of response was that? I should have never opened my bloody mouth. That's it, I'm going to take a vow of silence on all things concerning Ginny Weasley._

Harry turned to give the Fat Lady the password. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off.

"Aren't you going to kiss her?"

Just when he thought things could not possibly get any worse. Harry stared in horror at the Fat Lady.

"No!" he hissed. He dared not look at Ginny. Oh god, what would she be thinking?

"Go on, dear," the Fat Lady whispered conspiratorially, yet loud enough for Ginny to hear clearly. The Fat Lady's eyes darted up and down the corridor. "There's no one around. Give her a kiss. Show her how you feel."

_This is not happening, this is not bloody happening!_

Harry felt sick. He had never been more embarrassed in his life. His cheeks and ears were burning and his fists were clenched. He dared not look at Ginny. He couldn't.

"_Bon Appetit,_" he said, his jaw clenched hoping to make it clear that he had no intention of playing a role in any soap opera for the Fat Lady. She made no move at his mention of the password.

Harry ran his fingers through his hair with frustration. He finally found the courage to look at Ginny. She stood with her hands covering her mouth, obviously trying to contain her mirth.

"I'm glad you think this is funny," he snapped, his nerves thoroughly frayed.

Ginny dropped her hands and laughed softly. "I'm sorry, well, no, I'm not really sorry. This is rather funny."

Harry growled. He focused his frustration on the Fat Lady. "Listen, you don't understand what's going on here," he said, making a motion between himself and Ginny. "Just let us in. The last thing she wants is for me to … do what you said."

The Fat Lady arched her eyebrow. "I wouldn't be so sure." She tilted her head toward Ginny, knowingly.

He turned to look at Ginny. She was blushing and biting her lip.

_She couldn't possibly…_

"I s'pose there's nothing wrong with one small, innocent kiss."

Harry's eyes widened, certain that he had misheard her. The flush in her cheeks told him otherwise.

He swallowed. Hard.

His breath shortened. His heart raced. His mouth dried.

He dropped his rucksack to the floor. He stepped toward her. He cupped her face, his eyes searching hers. Her eyes dropped to his mouth and she licked her lips imperceptibly. Harry felt himself leaning closer. Her breath was on his cheek. Her eyes fluttered shut. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. He closed his eyes.

He kissed her.

Their lips met softly. Electricity surged through Harry's body. He broke away, momentarily. They met again, their kisses stronger and deeper. He felt Ginny tremble. He forced himself to pull away. He rested his forehead against hers, his heart hammering as he tried to catch his breath.

He felt Ginny's giggle rather than heard it.

"Okay, maybe that wasn't so innocent," Ginny whispered, her voice shaking.

Harry stepped back, his forehead wrinkled with worry. "I'm sorry, Ginny. I shouldn't have—"

"Shh," she interrupted softly. "I wasn't complaining."

Harry's heart soared as he grinned goofily.

Ginny shifted awkwardly on her feet. "I'm not sure how to go about this, Harry. I mean … Dean and I just broke up …"

Harry nodded. "We don't need to rush anything, Gin. I mean, you probably need some time to figure out if you might feel, er, that way for me."

Ginny blushed. "I have a sneaking suspicion I might fancy you, Harry."

Goofy grins seemed to be all that Harry was capable of. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, but still, I think I should wait a bit … you know, for Dean's sake."

Harry nodded. "So how long do you wager the Great Git needs?"

Ginny laughed. "Who? The Great Git? Is that what you call him?"

Blushing, Harry replied, "Well, I haven't always called him that. Just … recently."

The smile on Ginny's face warmed Harry to the core. He completely forgot the torture that Ginny had put him through, and the humiliation he suffered at the words of the Fat Lady. All he knew was the incredible warmth and indescribable joy he felt when he looked down into Ginny's sparkling brown eyes.

"You'll let me know, then, when you've made up your mind about me?" Harry asked, unable to resist the urge to take her hand in his.

"Of course," Ginny said, squeezing his hand. He couldn't remember ever seeing her smile so brightly.

"Excellent," he sighed. He gave her hand one last squeeze before picking up his rucksack and turning, once again, to the Fat Lady.

"_Bon Appetit,_" Harry said, smiling.

The Fat Lady winked and moved aside to let Harry and Ginny through. Harry's smile widened as he stepped aside to allow Ginny to go through first. The Fat Lady may have got it right after all.

:D


End file.
